MyMarine
by AriFan07
Summary: Callie Torres has a secret admirer and it's someone she isn't expecting...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**Enjoy :)**

"It's been a whole month!" I almost screamed running my hand through my hair.

"Um, what?" my best friend looked at me and asked, her grey-green eyes leaving the laptop screen in front of her.

"It's been a frickin' month and I still have no idea who The_Marine is!" I say throwing my hands in the air.

"The Marine? What Marine?" she asked, her brows knitting in confusion.

"The_Marine, Addison. The. Underscore. Marine." I sigh as her eyes light up with recognition.

"You know I still don't think that's safe, right?" when she pauses she looks me in the eyes. When I do not answer her she continues, "I don't see why you can't just stick to our little circle, it's so much safer that way."

"Addie, it's a secured school system and The_Marine is obviously a student here…and a student in some of my classes. I just don't know which student," I rebut.

"So your mystery guy is still out there and let me guess…you want to find out who he is but he refuses to give any of those details away," I groan when the words leave her mouth.

"Addison, you are so infuriating!" her lips curl up into a smile before she looks back at the screen before her.

"You love me."

It's true I do love her; she's like my sister, no, she is my sister. Addison and I have been together almost our whole lives, we are inseparable. Our friendship began one summer when I was six and she was eight and her family moved from Connecticut to Miami. I had gone with my father on a visit to one of his hotels in the city, I was being punished. I hated my father's line of work, yes it brought in money, and lots of it, but I hated not having him at home or always being stuck in a meeting, not having time for his family. So that day I sat in the lobby waiting for my father (I had refused to sit in the manager's office) sulking over my unfortunate and miserable life when an older, redheaded came up to me, sat right beside me and offered me one of the KitKats she had. I was stunned. I looked between her and her parents and even at that young age I could pick out people of the 'upper-class society' and this girl was definitely one of them. I shook my head, I did not want or even need her pity, I had enough for myself. Despite my refusal she was persistent; she did nothing until I broke off a small piece and ate it. After appeasing her, hoping that she would leave, she began talking. Seriously!

"My name's Addison Forbes-Montgomery. What's yours?" her voice was irritating, she was irritating.

"Callie Torres," I spat in her direction. She obviously did not register my animosity towards her because she kept talking.

"Okay, Callie. So, what's got you so upset?"

I glared at her, refusing to answer. Yes, I was six but I was also a Torres and Torres's do not talk about what is wrong with them or their feelings. Ever. It was in my nature. I kept to myself at all costs, at home, at school, at family reunions; Callie Torres was just always out of the loop, away from everyone else.

"Calliope!" I looked up and saw my father standing across the lobby with Addison's parents, beckoning at me to join him. Addison's parents were doing the same.

The girl looked at me and knitted her browns in confusion, "Calliope?"

"Don't," I growled at her. She took the hint this time and we walked silently to our parents. I plastered on a smile, albeit fake, at greeted Addison's parents who were just as irritatingly nice as she was.

"Aren't just a cute little thing," her mother gushed. How old was I? Two? I held my smile while criticizing her, the make-up that was caked all over her face, her repulsive red lips and her piercing grey eyes. She pinched my cheeks and I resisted the urge to slap her; that would have been inappropriate for 'people of our standing' as many of the adults I knew would have said. So I let her and I let her do it every time she sees me, even now. It turned out that Addison's father was my Uncle Berto's business partner before I was born and the Montgomery and Torres families had become close but had lost contact.

That night they had dinner at our home and Monday morning when I went to school Addison was there as well. That morning I walked through the doors of my elementary school I spotted her and her parents entering the administrative office and my heart sank. Since I had no classes with her there was no way we could meet, that is until she spotted me while I was having lunch.

I always ate lunch alone. I was the girl who sat at the back of the class and chewed her hair; no one wanted to be around me, no one wanted to be my friend and I was okay with that. She sat down beside me like she had done a few days before and started talking.

"This is a really nice school. The kids are okay, except this one girl, Aria," she said casually, taking a sip of her grape juice. I said nothing to her; I sat and ate my sandwich while she spoke about my sister. Most of what she said was true, Aria was narcissistic and high-strung but you had to get to know her to see that she was actually a nice person.

We were both almost finished with our lunches when she said something that made me stop eating. "Why are you like this? So…shy and reclusive?"

I looked at her and shrugged; I really had no clue why I was as withdrawn as I was. Sure, no one in my family talks about feelings but they were good with people, they could manage others, crowds but I could not. "You'd think growing up in the high society would have made me…out there but I don't know," I shrugged again; "It's the opposite for me. Being around people almost constantly gets boring and routine quickly so I hide inside myself; I hide in plain sight."

She looks at me her eyes wide, her head nodding. I'm sure she's just a little surprised to hear that coming from a six year old. I know I was.

But that's where it started, our friendship. Addison became my person and I became hers. Even though she and Aria never got along and would often blow-up at each other, I loved them both dearly.

I feel a wad of paper hit the side of my head, pulling me out of my respite.

"Hey, Torres!" I look over at Addison and scowl at her for breaking my thoughts, "Your phone's ringing."

I look down and see that my phone was indeed vibrating because of a message I had received from The_Marine.

_Hi there. Just got out of a study session with Prof. Burke…I really hate everything to do with cardio! :(_

I laugh before I reply to my unknown friend.

_Oh come on it can't be that bad…can it?_

_Oh it is believe me. Anyways, I really didn't want to talk about cardio or Burke…I wanted to know if you were planning to go to the 007 party next week, so are you?_

_I thought about it but then I decided against it._

_Oh then that's too bad cause I was going to ask you if you'd like to accompany me there._

I let out a nervous chuckle; maybe I really should take Addison's advice and stick to our friends circle.

_I'm flattered but I'll have to decline seeing as I really don't know you. No offence if you're not, but you could be a serial killer trying to lure me out._

_I assure you that I'm no serial killer or anything of the sort…the only crime I've committed is asking a pretty lady out on a date to a party. If you come to the party, you'll get to meet me ;)_

Is this guy serious, I think. Curiosity gets the better of me and so I reply.

_Okay, I'll think about and let you know._

_That's super :) _

I laugh this guy is something else.

_So see you at Biochem class…_

_You betcha!_

We end our conversation and Addison laughs at me.

"What?" I look at her annoyed.

"You've got that goofy grin on your face," she points her pen at my face. "What did your Marine say?"

"He asked me to accompany him to the 007 party next week!" I almost shriek out of excitement.

"And you told him no, right?" she lock her steely grey-green eyes on mine and I look away.

"Um, not quite…I told him that I'd think about it," I say quietly knowing that she will be utterly upset with me.

"Callie Torres, you did what?" the other students under the gazebos look at us. "Didn't I tell you to be careful of this guy and now you go and accept dates with him!" she continues in a hushed voice.

"Firstly, I did not accept a date with him; I said I would think about it. Secondly, not because I'm thinking about it means that I'm going to accept. I wouldn't go unless you and Mark were coming as well."

She rolls her eyes at me, "You are so infuriating!"

I smile apologetically as we get up and head off to our Biochemistry class, where the present but elusive Marine was sure to be.

**Thanks for taking the time to read this, I would like to know your views on this, if you'd like me to continue or just drop it here. So your reviews, criticisms and comments are greatly appreciated. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Grey's Anatomy does not belong to me (unfortunately).**

**So this story was supposed to be from Callie's POV solely but I've been asked by so many people to give Arizona's POV and I couldn't say no to you guys so…here it is. Enjoy :)**

**This story is dedicated to one of my closest and oldest friends, Derns.**

Arizona was hanging upside down from her bed, her blonde hair sweeping the floor and her feet against the wall. Her roommate, and new best friend, was right beside her in a similar position.

"So…I'm gonna ask Andrew to go to 007 with me," Teddy said trying to glance over at her friend.

"Uh, no you aren't," Arizona responded shaking her head fervently.

"Why not?" Teddy asked turning to look at Arizona.

"'Cause you're gonna ask Henry and you're gonna go with Henry," the blonde said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But Andrew's all hot and sexy and –" Teddy began but was silenced when Arizona held up her hand.

"And you're in love with Henry," Teddy looked at her curiously, "You just don't know it yet."

Teddy laughed, "Seriously, Arizona!" she rolled into her, almost knocking Arizona from the small bed. "Isn't it up to me who I carry anyways?"

"Yeah but Henry's the better choice and he's so cute!"

"Aren't you gay?" Teddy asked shaking her head.

"Yeah but that doesn't mean that I can't think a guy is cute or sexy or hot," Arizona responded waving her hand in the air.

Teddy scoffed, "Sure, Arizona. So who are you carrying?"

"Well…I'm not sure yet," she turned her head away from Teddy.

The bed shook violently as Teddy moved to sit up, "What! It's a week away and you don't have a date?"

"I asked one of our classmates but they're yet to get back to me with the answer," Arizona rolled unto her stomach, trying to avoid Teddy's eyes.

"Okay, which classmate?" Teddy sat in the middle of her bed, her legs crossed in the lotus position.

Arizona shrugged, "I'm not sure."

"What! How can't you know who you asked out?"

"Uh, you know the uni's private chat room that Burke told us to make use of?" Teddy nodded. "Well I kinda might have been talking to one of our classmates through it and I might have asked them to accompany me to 007," Arizona shrugged.

"Arizona Robbins! How could you have been so reckless? You don't even know this person's name! Are you even sure that this person is a student here and not some serial killer?" Arizona laughed at this; her action enraged Teddy. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, just that…," she erupted into another fit of laughter, "Just that my IM buddy said the same thing…that I was probably a serial killer."

"Arizona, you need to find out who this person is! I still can't believe you asked out someone who you don't even know. Male or female?"

Arizona shrugged, "I'm sure of that…female" she smiled hoping to diffuse the situation, it did not work.

"Arizona, you are…ughhh!" she threw her hands into the air in frustration.

"I'm sorry, Teddy, okay! I made a dumb mistake…it can be easily corrected. I'll just send a message saying that I rescind the offer…it's not like I got a sure answer anyways."

"Good! You need to do it now!" Teddy glared at Arizona's back, unable to see her face.

"Can't it wait until…I don't know…after we get something to eat from the Hall?"

"No! You need to do this now!"

"Fine, fine, fine, fine!" Arizona said while Teddy was speaking.

Arizona turned unto her back again and rolled her eyes when she saw Teddy glaring at her. The taller blonde passed the phone to her friend who promptly typed the message.

_Hey. I've been doing some thinking and you're right, we don't know each other so it's probably best that we attend 007 separately. Sorry for asking and feel free to pretend this didn't happen._

"There, happy now?" Arizona sighed throwing the phone beside Teddy who took it up and read the message.

She smiled, "Yes…very."

"I see you take pleasure out of my misfortune," Arizona grumbled, covering her face with her hand.

"I'm not taking pleasure out of this, Arizona. I'm looking out for you…I'm afraid you'll be impulsive and do something stupid."

"Have you ever known me to do something stupid, Teddy?" Arizona asked, peeking at her roommate through her fingers.

Teddy raised an eyebrow, "Um, yes and I've known you for what? A little over a year?"

"Whatever, Theodora."

There was a knock on the door and both chorused to their visitor to enter the room.

A red-headed guy pushed his head through the crack he had made, "Hey Arizona. Teddy, it's time for practice."

"I'm coming, Owen." She grabbed her bag and ran out of the room shouting 'later' to Arizona.

Arizona was left alone as her best friend had left her once again for swimming practice and would not be back for the next three hours. She flipped off her bed, slipped her phone into her pocket and left the room. She was clueless as to where she was going.

It was a cool day, the type of day that Arizona loved. The breeze was gently blowing through the trees and there was a general lazy air about the campus. It was an amazing day. Arizona was strolling through the small park, known as The Quad to the students, when she was almost hit by a softball. The ball fell right before her causing her to look in the direction the ball came from. She saw a tall blonde guy jogging towards her an apologetic smile on his face. She picked up the ball and threw it to him.

"Sorry about that, my friend over there," the pointed over his shoulder to a brunette who was walking up to them. That was the last thing Arizona heard the blonde guy say; she was too enraptured in the woman who was walking to them, an apologetic smile plastered on her face as well.

"Uh, sorry about that, I really didn't expect that to go that far…at all," she smiled at Arizona and the blonde melted right there.

"Uh…it's okay. I didn't get hit or anything so it's alright," Arizona responded giving the woman a dimpled smile.

"That's good." She extended her hand, "I'm Callie by the way. Hey aren't you in my Biochem class?" she asked as Arizona gripped her hand.

"Arizona. Uh…Burke?" Arizona asked, trying to place the woman before her.

"Yeah, I'm usually at the back though," Callie explained when she saw Arizona smile again.

There was a shout from behind the three and Arizona looked over Callie's shoulder and saw a short Asian woman shouting at them.

Callie laughed, "Well I guess that's Cristina's way of telling us to get back to the game." She held out her hand once more and Arizona shook it, unable to deny the jolt that she felt when her hand met Callie's for the second time, "It was nice meeting you, Arizona," Callie smiled at her again and Arizona felt her heart flutter.

There was another shout from Cristina again and Mark turned to Arizona, "Hey Cristina wants to know if you want to join us."

Arizona glanced at Mark briefly before she met Callie's gaze once more, "I'm sorry but I'm gonna head over to the theater and watch them practice, but I'm super flattered for the offer." She squeezed Callie's hand, "It was nice meeting you too Callie and…" she looked over at Callie's friend.

"Mark…Sloan, really nice to meet you," he shook her hand and smiled at her.

"Well, it was nice to meet you both," she looked directly at Callie. "I've gotta go now, and I think your friend is about to blow a fuse," the other two looked around and laughed at Cristina who was gesturing wildly to a very beautiful red-head.

"She's already blown it," Mark muttered.

They said their goodbyes again and the two went back to their friends, Arizona watched them, or more so Callie, walk across the space to the waiting girls and a guy. Arizona turned and walked to the theater with the brunette's beautiful and amazing smile running through her mind.

After watching the theater company practice Monty Python's Spamalot for almost three hours, Arizona was tired. She walked through The Quad again, really to see if Callie was still there, but she was not. Arizona made her way to her dorm and sat on her bed, just as she did her phone rang out. She had received a message from her IM buddy.

_Hey, I got your message and I must say that I am disappointed because I was really considering your offer but you're right I guess._

Arizona sighed.

_I'm sorry I guess it's what's best. Are you still going?_

_Yeah, my friends say that they're attending so I guess I'll just go with them. You?_

_I really don't know, I might though._

Arizona stretched out on her bed.

_You should…we could probably meet up…if that's okay with you._

_That would be amazing…:)_

_Great…well I gotta go, dinner time with the guys._

_Okay…later, bon appétit :)_

Arizona placed her phone on the small night table beside her bed and groaned.

"What's wrong with you?" Teddy asked as she opened the door.

Nothing," Arizona mumbled pulling her pillow from under her head to cover her face.

"I'm too tired and hungry to pry it outta you so I'll do that later," she threw her bag on her bed and headed to the bathroom.

A few minutes later she emerged in a form fitting grey blouse and jeans, "Come on, Owen offered to take us out for dinner tonight…it's gonna be fun."

Arizona groaned again, "Where are we going?"

"This really cool restaurant down the road." She grabbed Arizona's pillow and threw it on her own bed, "Come on, I promised him that we'd come."

Arizona smirked, "You still have that thing for Hunt?"

Teddy blushed, "No we're just friends, close friends."

"Yeah you guys sure are close," Arizona laughed as she was pulled from the room by her best friend.

As she walked through The Quad towards Owen's dorm Arizona spied a certain brunette sitting on the lawn laughing with a tall blonde, Mark and a red-head. She smiled when she saw Callie but quickly diverted her attention to Teddy who was talking about an 'exceptional dive' that Andrew had made at practice that day.

"I don't see how you could like Henry over Andrew," Teddy said as they walked up the stairs to Owen's dorm.

"He's just a better choice for a long-term relationship. Andrew's like a…a candy bar," she shrugged.

"A candy bar?"

"Yeah you just have it and throw the wrapper away…a candy bar," she knocked on Owen's door and he shouted for them to enter.

"You are too much, Arizona!" Teddy responded pushing her friend into the room.

"Hey, I'm right…just choose Henry. The guy is head-over-heels in love with you but you don't realize it! Ask Owen," she pointed to the man whose back was turned to them.

"Ask me what?" Owen asked, turning towards the two.

"Isn't –" Arizona began but was cut off my Teddy's hand covering her mouth.

"Nothing," Teddy blurted, blushing crimson red again.

Arizona eyed her suspiciously before shrugging. After a few minutes, which were spent waiting for another diver, Jackson Avery, the four made their way to the restaurant. Arizona spent the night eating good food and in good company, however, Callie and her haunting smile was all she could think about.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Grey's Anatomy does not belong to me (unfortunately).**

**This is probably the last chapter you guys will get from me for a while seeing as I have MAJORLY MAJOR exams coming up in a month and I need to get some serious studying underway. But that said here's Chapter 3.**

**This story is dedicated to one of my closest and oldest friends, Derns.**

"She turned me down! What the hell!" Mark shouted as he sat down under a tree in The Quad.

"Who turned you down?" Callie asked skipping the page of her textbook and sipping her iced tea.

"Arizona! I went to her to ask her to 007 and she said no…she just outright said no!"

"Well Mark she doesn't really know you so you really couldn't expect her to say anything else," Callie chuckled.

"But I'm Mark Sloan!" he whined in reply.

Callie scoffed, "Get over it Mark. The girl doesn't want to go out with you."

"That's impossible," he waved his hand and said cockily.

Callie rolled her eyes, "Where's Addie?"

Mark shrugged, "She said she was gonna talk to Sam and then meet us here."

"So they're together again or what?" Callie asked briefly looking at Mark.

He shrugged again, "I don't know. I thought she was all for that transfer guy, Jake, but it's been all about Sam since recently."

"Hmmm. I like Sam."

"You realize that if she goes with him then that just leaves the two of us, right." Callie nodded. Mark sighed, "It's like high school all over again where no one wanted to ask you out so I had to turn down every girl and go with you instead." He sighed again.

Callie looked up at him, "Um, I got asked out…you got rejected."

"Yeah but your offer was rescinded so it's just as bad."

"What's just as bad?" Addison asked walking up to the two.

"Mark got turned down by Arizona," Callie laughed.

"The perky blonde who sits at the front of our Biochem class?" Addison asked sitting cross-legged beside Mark.

"Yes her. And she just hasn't seen how much of a good match we are," the red-head and the brunette burst out laughing.

"Of course she hasn't, Mark," Addison responded, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Callie rose from where she lay on the ground, "I'll see you two later; I have choir practice. I'll meet up with you in the rec room."

"Yeah, later," Addison shouted after her retreating friend.

Callie arrived at practice right on time and took her place in the second soprano line. The group began with the usual, a thirty minute voice warm up before the choir director, Miranda Bailey stopped them with an announcement.

"Alright, all of you shut up!" the entire hall fell silent and all attention was squarely on the short, dark-skinned woman standing before them. "Now as most of you know, and for those of you who don't; then you'll know soon enough, Bellum Voces is in a little over a month," there was a round of cheers from the choir, "and this year is our year!" An even louder cheer erupted from the choristers. "We're gonna take back our trophy from Loweman!" There was a round of applause and whistles from the students. "So that means that we're going to be having intense practices so if any of you don't feel like you can handle it get out now!" no one dared to move. "Good. Now you will eat, breathe and sleep the songs that you will find in the folders before each you," there was a combined flipping of pages after Bailey spoke. "And Torres and Hunt don't think for a minute that that gives you any reason to fail your Histology examinations." Callie looked away from the woman and looked at her classmate who was smiling at her sheepishly.

"Professor Bailey?" the woman looked at the short man who had called her, "There's How to Save a Life in here."

"Yes, Martin and thank you for pointing that out." She turned to entire choir, "As Martin pointed out there is a non-classical song in your folders, How to Save a Life, and that's because the rules of the competition have changed this year," there was a collective murmuring from the group. "Shut up!" silence enveloped them once more. "As I was saying, the choirs are no longer required to sing only classical and so I decided to throw this song in as a way to…show off our talent," cheers came from around the room. "Okay come on, we'll be running through our first two songs, Nunc Dimittis and Ave Maria." A tall, well build man walked across the stage and up to Professor Bailey, she smiled with him and they engaged in a brief conversation, "All of you shut up!" when the students were quiet again she smiled. "This fine young gentleman is Christian Manning and he'll be our pianist for Bellum Voces this year," there was a loud cheer, from the soprano and alto sections of the choir which grew when Christian smiled.

For the next two and a half hours the choir, with the aid of Christian, went through the first two songs to get them acquainted with the words and the pace of the songs. After they had run through for the fifth time Bailey allowed them to stop.

As all the choristers were leaving Bailey asked Callie and Hunt to stay behind. She handed the two identical folders, "You two will be doing big duet this year," Callie smiled at the woman. This is what she had practiced for. There was nothing bigger than singing the duet at the Bellum Voces competition, not even singing solo. The duet required a higher level of dedication, skill and concentration to ensure that both singers blended perfectly. It was harder, it required superiority and it was obvious that Bailey thought that she was superior to all the other women on the choir.

"Catalogue Aria," Owen said and turned to Callie smiling at her for the second time that evening.

"I know that it's usually done with one person singing but I want to change that for us," she looked between her two best singers. "I want the two of you to basically act out this scene. Callie, you'll be Donna Elvira while Owen will be Leporello." She looked at Owen, "You will start," she looked to Callie, "And you will join in when he reads the list, after that I want you to repeat the list in distress except the last line; Owen will do that," the two nodded and Bailey signaled to Christian to play the song. The next forty-five minutes was spent going through Don Giovanni. When they finished Bailey was all smiles, she was happy with her choice.

When Callie was walking off the stage she heard a voice speak to her, "That was amazing," she turned and saw Christian walking towards her, a bag slung loosely over his shoulder and the score for Don Giovanni in his hand.

"Uh, thanks," she blushed and smiled awkwardly at him, "You're not too bad yourself."

"Thanks but honestly, you were amazing; I can't remember the last time I've heard someone sing with so much passion and emotion," he smiled at her and two dimples popped out.

Callie was swooning now, this guy was hot! "Thanks, Christian. Hey, I've never seen you around here before, first year?"

He held the door open for her to pass through, "Uh, kinda. I'm in my second year but it's my first year here. I transferred over from Westlake on my cousin's advice," he laughed as he finished.

"Oh, so what're you majoring in?" Callie asked eager to know everything about this new pianist.

"Psychology," he smiled when he said this. "I'm guessing from Bailey's threat at the beginning of practice that you're into the Med. Sciences."

"Yup, all the way."

"That's cool. My cousin is doing the Med. Sciences as well, you probably know her. Arizona Robbins?" Christian looked at her.

"Yeah, I know her, we met a few days ago and she's in my Biochem and Pharmacology classes. Actually my friend asked her out today and she turned him down," Callie laughed remembering Mark's expression and annoyance.

Christian laughed as well, "Well that's not surprising; 'Zona doesn't date any and everyone."

The two fell into a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Callie looked up at Christian, "Where you heading?"

"I was just gonna head to Arizona's room so we could hang," he shrugged.

"Oh. How about the two of you come hang with me and my friends in the rec room in Rhimes?"

Christian smiled, "That'd be great! Let me just tell 'Zona to meet me there." A few seconds after sending a message he turned to Callie, "Okay all set." The two made their way to Rhimes Hall and met up with Mark, Addison and a few of their closest friends.

The rec room was almost packed but that did not stop Addison from finding Callie soon after she walked through the doors.

"Hey, who's your friend?" Addison asked looking in Christian's direction.

"Who…Christian? Oh, he's the choir's new pianist, totally hot!" Callie answered taking the drink from Addison's hand.

"I can see that. I might have to join the choir," the two laughed. "Hey, there's Mark's friend, he invited her?" she pointed to the door.

Callie turned to see Arizona walking through and scanning the crowd, her face broke out into a smile when she saw Christian, "Oh no, I invited her…kinda."

When Arizona hugged Christian Addison spoke, "That's why she told Mark no! The girl's got good taste."

Callie shook her head, "They're cousins."

"Good looks must run in the family then," Addison shrugged before turning when her name was called. "Gotta go; Sam's here."

Callie spent some time with Meredith and Cristina, the Twisted Sisters as they were called by the other members of the group, while they drank. She had just knocked back her second beer when she heard a voice behind her, "Hey, wanna play Air Hockey with me?" she turned and saw Arizona standing there smiling at her, both hands in her back pockets.

"Uh, sure," the two made their way to the table situated at the back of the room.

The girls played the first game in silence, Arizona had won.

"Okay, best two out of three," Callie said when the puck passed into her goal for the seventh time.

"You're on," the blonde smiled as Callie slid the red puck to the other side of the table.

The game began with Arizona scoring the first two points, Callie was not pleased. "Hey, I met your cousin, Christian today."

"Yeah, he was telling me that you're one heck of a singer," Arizona scowled as Callie fired the puck past her mallet.

Smiling Callie answered, "Eh, I try."

"From what he says it doesn't sound like you're trying," she blocked a shot that Callie tried to make. "I think my darling cousin has a crush on you."

Callie blushed, "Uh, what makes you think that?"

Arizona rolled her eyes, "He wouldn't stop talking about the amazing girl in my Biochem and Anatomy class who sounds like an angel when she sang," Callie blushed an even deeper red. "And he won't stop looking at you," she motioned with her head and Callie turned quickly to indeed see Christian looking at her. He smiled shyly and averted his gaze. At that moment Callie heard a loud sound as Arizona scored her third goal.

"That's unfair; you cheated," Callie shouted.

"Keep your eyes on the game, pretty lady," Arizona winked at her.

"I'm gonna get you for that, Arizona Robbins."

"Let's see, Callie Torres."

Callie fought a hard game but in the end Arizona won. Throughout the match the two conversed easily. They spoke about the day's Anatomy class with Professor Grey, about the upcoming Bellum Voces and of course about Mark Sloan. It was good.

After Callie's little match with Arizona she sat at a table and watched as her friends danced. When he had finished dancing with a busty red-head Mark made his way over to Callie's table.

He sat and opened his bottle of water, "So did you sell me?" Callie looked at him confused. "What did Arizona say about me?"

"Oh!" she shrugged, "You're not her type. Sorry."

"What? How can I not be her type? I bet she's gay…that's it!" Mark mused.

Callie laughed, "I doubt it. A pretty girl like Arizona isn't gay and plus…" she pointed to a corner of the large room where Arizona was blatantly flirting with another student.

"What the hell! What does that guy have that I don't?" Callie looked at the guy and then looked at Mark, and she laughed. "What's so funny?"

"That guy's a senior," she laughed even harder.

Frustrated, Mark rose from his seat and moved through the crowd, Callie thought that he was headed to Arizona but she was proven wrong when she saw Mark stop in front of Julia. Callie rolled her eyes, typical Mark, if he did not get his way one way, he moved on. That's where the two were different, Callie was tenacious and Mark was irresolute. Callie went for what she wanted and right now what she wanted was headed towards her. She smiled as Christian sat in the seat Mark had just vacated and smiled at her.

**Hey, so now that you've finished reading there's just one more step. Click that blue link that says 'Review this Chapter' and write what you think. It'll make my day!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Grey's Anatomy does not belong to me (unfortunately).**

**Surprise! I know I said that I was taking a break to study for my exams but I just started writing this earlier and now here it is. Enjoy :)**

**For those following Arrested Hearts, I really doubt that there will be an update any time soon but I'll see what I can do.**

**This story is dedicated to one of my closest and oldest friends, Derns.**

"You make a smashing James Bond, cousin," Arizona smiled at Christian through the full length mirror as she ran her hands over his shoulders.

He grinned at her, "Thanks." He fixed his bow tie, turned around and looked down at her, "And who are you going to be?"

Arizona sighed and shrugged, "I'm not feeling any of the Bond Girls and maybe being Bond would be playing up the gay thing just a bit too much – plus he was never blonde."

Christian chuckled, "Well you've gotta decide by tonight."

"I know, I know!" she sighed again. Arizona looked up at Christian before turning around quickly and walking a few feet away from him, "So have you asked Callie to go with you yet?"

"Uh, no," he answered looking at her back. "I wasn't planning to."

Arizona spun around immediately, her eyes filled with surprise and some happiness, "Why not?"

"'Cause I'm already taking someone," he answered as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Arizona was taken aback slightly, "Oh. Who?"

"You," he turned around with a smug smile in his face.

"Me?" she shook her head in protest, "I'm fine, Chris. Really I am." She turned her back once again, "You should ask Callie and the two of you should go and have a good time."

Christian walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders turning her around, "No. I'm going with you. If it's possible I can meet up with her but I'm taking you and I'm spending most of my night with you. Got it?"

Arizona nodded look into his dark brown, almost black, eyes and nodded. "Fine, you can take me but don't let your girlfriend know," she teased.

"She's not my girlfriend and I don't think she'll ever be," he dropped his hands from her shoulders.

Arizona looked at him surprised and confused, "Why not? I thought you liked her."

Christian sighed, "I do but I don't think I want to be anything more than friends with her…at least not for now."

"Oh," it was all Arizona could say. On the inside she was overflowing with joy; but what kind of cousin would she be if Christian saw her all giddy over his decision? "Oh."

"I mean she's wonderful and very, very beautiful," Christian said pulling the bowtie from his neck, "But I don't know, she just doesn't seem right for me," he shrugged.

Arizona was ecstatic at her cousin's admission. "Are you still hung up about Victoria?" Arizona asked, referencing Christian's girlfriend from Westlake.

A small smile crossed his face at the mention of his now ex-girlfriend's name. Victoria Alexander was the most amazing woman Christian had ever met. Before her he had never believed in true love but after spending three days with her, he was smitten and he loved it. She made him smile at all times, especially when he was upset with her, he made her laugh when her day was bad, and they accepted and tolerated each others' faults. They loved each other with everything they had. They were perfect for each other. Their separation was hard on them; they dreaded it but they both knew it was difficult to juggle both college and a long distance relationship. There were tears, hugs, kisses, promises and late night phone calls but nothing could help their relationship. A month after Christian had moved to Seattle, they ended it officially; it was the only option. Christian cried from months after that. And now, even though the tears were less frequent the stabbing pain in his heart never dulled. It ached even more each time he thought of Victoria. She was and remained the love of his life, his everything, even when they were on opposite sides of the country.

"I miss her," he answered changing back into his shirt.

When he had finished changing Arizona walked up behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back, "I know you do but look at the bright side. Two years from now when you're done you can go back and rekindle what you had with her."

Christian snorted, "It's not that easy, Arizona. It's two years! I can't just walk away from her and come back two years later and just expect to pick up where we left off, she has to move on at some point."

Arizona released her hold on him, "So if she can move on, why can't you?"

He turned and glared at her before moving towards the door, "I'm going to choir rehearsal. I'll see you later." With that he was gone and Arizona was alone.

She too was soon out the door and idly walking around campus, she was upset and there was only one cure for that and that cure was no longer available. He was all the way across the world fighting a war. Arizona's older brother, Timothy Daniel Robbins, was the only person capable of calming her down when she was angry and the only person who was able to make her happy when she was sad. Ever since they were young that had been the case and it still was, more or less. He was the one who allowed her to see their parents' point of views in an argument, he showed her the logic behind their answers, he calmed her down when her authority issues threatened to take over, he helped her through her fears and through her uncertainties. He was her rock, her protector, he was her big brother. Now thinking about how upset she was with Christian, what she was feeling towards Callie and all the complexities of life, she missed Tim and his infectious spirit. Of course they still spoke but very rarely, most times it was through letters and those took forever to arrive and return but sometimes they got the chance to email each other but those opportunities were rare and immensely far between. Right now she really missed her brother, more than ever before.

Arizona sighed and pulled her phone front her pocket and sent a message to Teddy which was answered a minute later. She steered herself towards the gazebos where her friend was. After walking for three minutes Arizona sat down across from Teddy and lowered her head to the table.

"What's wrong with you?" Teddy asked without looking up from her iPad.

"Christian's being an idiot," Arizona murmured before sighing dramatically.

"And why do you say that?" Teddy asked looking up, surprised that the blonde had said that about her cousin.

"Because he is and he has the opportunity to ask Callie to go to 007 with him tomorrow and he refuses because he's still not over his ex!"

"So what if he doesn't want to go with her, it really is his choice," Teddy returned her gaze to the screen before her.

Arizona's head shot off of the table, "She's Callie Torres! Everyone wants to go out with her…everyone! But not Christian Taylor Manning…no, he'd rather take his cousin while pining over the girlfriend he left in New York!" Arizona's voice took on a mocking tone.

"Arizona you can't say that. What's with you and wanting to set people up? First me and Henry and now Chris and Callie." Teddy looked at her best friend once more.

Arizona shrugged, "I want what's best for the two of you?" she smiled sheepishly.

Teddy stared at her intently, "Do you want Chris with Callie because you can't be with her?"

Arizona scoffed and waved a hand, "That's like the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." Teddy raised an eyebrow, "That's absurd, Theodora!" Arizona looked away from Teddy's eyes, "I want him with her 'cause I think that she'd be good for him."

"You are a horrible liar, you know that?" Teddy laughed.

Arizona lowered her head to the table once more, "Shut up!"

Teddy's mouth fell open in surprise, "You do like her!"

"I said shut up!" Arizona lifted her head to see Teddy smirking at her. "Fine! I do, okay? But it doesn't matter because she is as straight as an arrow," she ran her hands through her hair, "And she is never…never going to find out that I have a small crush on her, right?" She glared at Teddy until she replied positively.

"I gotta say though, Ari. I never thought Torres was your type," Teddy said shaking her head.

"What'd you mean?" Arizona asked, arching an eyebrow.

Teddy shrugged, "You just seemed into the perky ones and Torres is anything but perky."

Arizona propped her elbow unto the table and placed her chin in her hand, she looked past Teddy to a group of freshmen who were engaged in a game of Ultimate. Teddy was right, Arizona had always gone for the perky and sunshine and rainbows girls; they were just like her. However, those relationships never seemed to work out, they always ended in Arizona getting her heart broken. With Callie it was different though, she did not see herself getting hurt by the Latina but that was generally because she already knew and had almost fully accepted that she had no chance with her. Ever since that day when she had first seen Callie she felt as though she liked her, the first time she spoke to her, in The Quad she knew that she liked her. A slow smile crept unto her face as she remembered having Callie's amazingly soft hand in hers, her beautiful eyes, that smile that she wore, the way she walked. Damn, she was extremely positive that she liked her. Unfortunately she would have to admire the woman who was Callie Torres from afar.

Arizona sighed, bring herself back to Teddy, "There's just something about her that's so alluring…so irresistible…so unattainable." She ended by covering her face with her hands and releasing a groan.

Teddy looked at her, "You got it bad."

"Tell me about it!" Arizona mumbled. After a few minutes of silence between the two friends Arizona spoke again, "So have you asked Henry to go with you yet?"

"Uh, no. He's Bond, he should be asking me," she replied with a shrug.

"Teddy! He's Henry, you know that he isn't going to ask you," she threw her hands into the air. "He's the guy who would be in head over heels love with you but would sit and listen to you talk about your failed dates without professing his love to you. He isn't going to ask you!"

Teddy sat looking at Arizona as though she had just grown another head, "What's with you and your allusions?"

"What? I actually liked that one…even more than the candy bar."

"You are so weird. But anyways, he's gotta ask me," Teddy said definitively.

"So you have no problem with going with Henry?" Arizona asked cautiously.

Teddy shook her head, "No. He's a nice guy."

Arizona nodded, "Great!" She grabbed Teddy's phone and got up in one swift and fluid motion. She ran from the gazebo and Teddy and quickly sent a message to Henry's phone asking if he would like to accompany her (Teddy) to 007. By the time Teddy caught up to the shorter blonde the message had gone and Arizona was waiting for a reply. She smiles widely, her dimples coming out at full force, and handed Teddy her phone.

"I can't believe you just did that!" Teddy slapped Arizona's arm causing a fit of giggles to erupt from her.

"You said he wasn't going to do it and you clearly weren't going to do it so I did it for you. It's what best friends are for." Teddy glared at Arizona. Her gaze was broken when her phone vibrated in her hand. She looked at the phone and back up at Arizona who urged her to open the message. Teddy did as she was told and after a few seconds a smile broke out across her face. Arizona clapped her hands and tipped an imaginary hat, "You can thank me later."

"If this doesn't work out, you are so dead," Teddy responded, her smile still fixed.

Arizona looped her arm through Teddy's and they walked back to the gazebo, "Trust me, he's perfect for you." Arizona turned to look at Teddy and saw her mouth open to speak, "He's way better for you than Andrew…and Owen…combined." Teddy rolled her eyes and Arizona erupted into another fit of laughter. The two sat down again.

"So have you decided if you're gonna be Bond or one of his ladies yet?" Teddy asked.

"I'm leaning towards being Bond. Because Bond gets all the ladies just like I do," Arizona smirked.

Teddy laughed and shook her head, "You don't get all of them."

"Hey, that one is a work in progress…hopefully." She shook her head to clear her thoughts of Callie. "So who will you be?"

"I don't know yet. I've narrowed the Bond girls down to three, Tanya Romanova, Major Anya Amasova and Stacey Sutton."

"I didn't like Amasova but she might fit you. I doubt we can get you an old-time Russian Security uniform on such short notice though," Arizona mused.

"How about that red dress that she's in at the end of the movie?" Teddy asked, suddenly hit by some inspiration.

"Theodora Altman, you are a genius!" Arizona almost shouted, stretching her hands across the table and towards Teddy's face.

Teddy blushed slightly, "I've got a similar dress that my mom insisted that I carry when I was leaving home over the summer."

Arizona jumped out of her seat, "Come on, let's go get you in that dress."

Teddy groaned but followed Arizona to their room, hoping that this would be quick and painless.

**Next chapter will be the 007 party from Callie's POV…should be interesting *smug smile*.**

**So, now that you've finished reading there's just one more step. Click that blue link that says 'Review this Chapter' and write what you think. It'll make my day!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I've never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**Dedicated to Derns.**

**Enjoy :)**

"I can't believe Bailey had us practicing up to one and a half hours before 007," Callie heard a girl who she recognized as the harpist mutter to another musician, "That doesn't leave me with enough time to get my hair done and get my costume ready!" Callie laughed to herself and rolled her eyes.

"Hey," her free arm was grabbed causing her to stop and turn to face whoever had the nerve to 'attack' her from behind but she did not retaliate; she could not because Christian was standing there smiling at her, his bag slung over his shoulder as always.

"Hey," she smiled back at him. "What's up?"

Christian shrugged and fell into step with the Latina, "Nothing." He glanced sideways before taking a deep breath, "Uh, you said that you're going to 007, right?"

Callie looked up at him and smiled, "Yeah." She smirked at him, "Do you want me to save a dance for you?"

He smiled back sheepishly, "Uh…there's someone I'd like you to meet…get to know…kinda."

Callie turned her eyes back to the path she was following before responding, "Okay."

Callie missed the brief apologetic but relieved smile that he sent her way. The two walked in silence for a minute and a half before Christian's phone rang out. He read the message and laughed before shaking his head and replying to whomever. Callie looked at him questioningly.

"'Zona's bowtie isn't making a bow," he explained.

Callie looked slightly confused before she realized what Christian was saying and laughed along, "She's going as Bond?"

Christian nodded and laughed, "Yeah she doesn't really do the dress thing." Callie nodded slowly. "So who're you going as?"

Callie gave him a sly smile, "Xenia Onatopp."

"Villaness…interesting," he raked his eyes over her, "Yeah I can see that working out for you." Callie blushed; this guy was just too good.

"Thanks. I can see you as the perfect James Bond replica," she rested her hand on his arm and he gave a small, shy smile.

They walked for another five minutes in almost complete silence until they stopped in front Rhimes Hall.

"This is your stop," Christian stopped and turned to Callie who smiled at him. "I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you later."

There was still a lot of light for evening but Christian waited until Callie was inside the building before he walked away. Callie did a quick look over her shoulder and saw him retreating from the building; yeah he was a good one.

She took a few steps in the direction of the stairs that led to the upper floor and her dorm room when a gruff voice called out her name, "God dammit Torres! Addison is gonna kill you!"

She turned and looked at Mark who had left his dorm room, "I had practice. I told you guys that we might have gone late."

The blond grabbed her hand and almost pulled her up the stairs, "And I bet you stayed back and spent some time with your little boyfriend when you knew that we'd all be getting ready."

She blushed and mumbled, "He's not my boyfriend." She spoke louder, "I didn't spend any time with anyone. I left as soon as practice was over; Christian and I walked over here from the theater hall."

He opened the door to the girl's room and pushed her in, "Addison will be here in five minutes to help with that and I quote 'mop you call hair' so get into your getup."

Callie laughed, "Did you just say getup?" Mark narrowed his eyes at her. "And my hair is not a mop."

Mark growled, "Get dressed, Torres." She walked over to her closet and pulled out the leather dress and mid-calf high boots and threw them on Addison's bed. And she started to undress. When she pulled her shirt off Mark turned his back, "Dammit, Torres."

She smirked at him, "It's not like you haven't seen me naked before, Sloan."

"Yeah but I don't need to now!" he kept his back turned as she laughed and pulled off her pants. Simply to annoy Mark she turned on her iPod and began dancing, in her underwear, to the first song that played, Owl City's Galaxies.

She danced up to him, "Come on, Mark. Turn around and dance with me."

"No thanks," he still refused to turn around and she laughed at him.

"Oh come on, live a little. It'll be fun," she smiled at his jacketed back.

"Torres just get dressed please!" Callie continued her dance.

At that moment the door was pushed open causing Mark to take a step back, into Callie who could only laugh as he scurried away from her as quickly as possible. Addison's red head peeked through the door, "Why aren't you dressed, Cal?"

Callie smiled, "I was dancing."

Addison rolled her eyes at the Latina before turning to Mark who was sitting on the far side of Callie's bed, "Didn't you tell her that I was coming?"

"Of course I did. She just refused to listen when I told her to get dressed quickly; instead she wanted to dance. She's here in her underwear, singing and dancing to Galaxies and –" he visibly shuddered.

Addison closed the door and shrugged, "Nothing you haven't seen before."

Callie laughed, "That's what I told him."

"It doesn't matter!" the blond shouted. "I don't want to dance with her naked," he turned to Callie but decided against it when he remembered that she was still half naked, "I'll dance with you any day, Cal but you have to be fully dressed."

She smirked, "Afraid you'll fall back into your old ways?"

"No," he looked at the door it held a mirror which was currently reflecting a naked, smirking Latina, "I just don't want to see you naked."

Addison walked over to her bed and threw Callie's outfit at her, "Put the poor guy out of his misery and get dressed."

"Thank you," Mark said to Addison.

Callie laughed and pulled on the dress. It was a form fitting mid-thigh black, leather dress and most importantly, Callie was incredibly sexy in the outfit.

"Wow, if I was gay I'd be trying to bang you right now!" Addison said when pulled Callie up the zipper. The brunette smiled at her best friend

"If I was still banging you I'd bang you right now," Mark added a grin on his face.

Callie looked over at him awkwardly, "Uh, thanks." He smiled and shrugged.

"Come on, Xenia. Time to do your hair," Addison said getting off the bed and grabbing the bag she had walked in with. "Which do you prefer? The 'I just had sex with James Bond' look or the 'I'm a badass Russian criminal' look?"

Before Callie could choose Mark spoke up, "Actually Xenia and Bond never had sex; they went as far as foreplay but no sex. I have to say it was disappointing,"

The two women turned to look at him, "Are you seriously, Mark?"

He looked at the redhead, "What?"

Addison shook her head, "Nothing." She turned to Callie, "So what's the choice? Sex hair or sophisticated but deadly?"

Callie thought for a minute, "I think I'll take sophisticated but deadly; wouldn't want to give the wrong impression."

Addison laughed, "Alright. Let's begin."

Callie's phone rang out, indicating an instant message. She grabbed the phone from Addison's bed and smiled when she saw a message from The_Marine.

_Hey, what's up?_

_Nothing much, just here trying to get my hair done._

Addison grabbed her hair and pulled gently.

_Oh. Maybe I should leave you to get that done then?_

_No, it's fine. What're you up to?_

_:D Just sitting here talking to you, pretty lady._

_*blushing* So, I'm gonna find out who you are tonight. You're positive that you aren't a serial killer, right?_

_Hahaha I'm sure that I'm not a serial killer or anything of the sort._

Addison ran her moussed hands through Callie's hair.

_Good. So where are we gonna meet?_

"What're you over there doing," Mark asked the Latina.

"She's texting her Marine." Callie turned to look at her best friend, "Don't move!"

Mark laughed, "This guy better be worth all the hype he creates when you talk to him."

Callie smiled, "I'm sure he will be." She looked down at her phone as it signaled a new message

_I've been thinking about that for a while now and I haven't come up with any good places. Have any suggestions?_

"Hey guys, you know any good places where I could meet him tonight?"

Addison answered while putting the finishing touches on Callie's hairstyle, "How about by the Freud statue?"

"Nah…too far from the party, not enough people will be around. Suppose he really is a serial killer?"

"If you think he's a serial killer why are you going?" Mark asked.

"Because I don't think he is…I was just saying."

"Okay. How about by Big Ben?" Mark offered.

Addison nodded, "Yeah it's right across from Pierce Hall. Lots of people will be around and it's the biggest tree out there, kinda hard to miss it." Callie nodded and replied to The_Marine.

_How about the big tree in front of Pierce Hall?_

_Big Ben? Yeah, that sounds like a good place._

_:D That's great. So what time should we meet up?_

_I was thinking around 10? Give us both some time to move around with our friends._

_That's good with me. Really can't wait to finally meet you after so long._

_Same here. We probably should have done this earlier but better late than never._

_*laughing* Yeah you're right. It's even funnier 'cause we share classes and I still have no clue who you are._

_That's either funny or creepy. But don't worry you'll get to know me in about two hours. _

_Again, can't wait._

_:D Gonna get going now. See you there._

_Okay. See you later._

Callie threw her phone on her bed, barely missing Mark. "Your convo with your Marine over already?" he taunted

"Shut it, Sloan," Callie said turning around to look at herself in the mirror.

He stood up while Addison got her outfit from the closet, "So what're you gonna do with Christian when you fall for this guy?"

Callie looked at him through the mirror, "Who said I was gonna fall for him? I just wanna meet the guy who helps me with my assignments."

Addison turned around holding the dress in front of her, "Oh please. Knowing you if he's some sorta hunk you'll be head over heels for him."

Callie scowled, "Some friends you guys are."

"It's 'cause we love you." Addison walked past Callie and down the hall to the bathroom to get dressed.

Forty-five minutes later, the trio, along with Addison's date, Sam, was out of the dorm room and heading towards Pierce Hall. The event organizers had converted the University's spacious dining hall into a party hall. Most of the space was used for the dance floor with a small section being reserved for refreshments and an even smaller section for the DJ.

They had entered the hall for only three minutes before Cristina Yang, dressed as Wai Lin, walked her way up to them, a beer bottle in her hand. "About time you guys made it."

Addison looked at Callie accusingly, "Someone had choir practice and Bailey kept them late."

"Yeah, whatever. Mer and Derek are over by the booze," she indicated the direction by using her beer bottle.

Mark grunted, "Why am I not surprised?"

The group made their way over to the duo who was actually sitting a few tables away from the long table that held various types of liquor. Mark and Sam brought another table over to seat the group while Derek brought extra chairs. They all sat and held a conversation; that was when they could hear each other over the music. The tension that had marred the group two years ago was gone now. Derek's anger towards Mark and Addison was gone and he was almost as close to the two as he was before the cheating and back-stabbing had occurred. Moreover, the parties involved were happy now; Derek had Meredith, Addison had Sam and Mark had…Mark was happy. Callie watched as the two men ribbed Addison about some event that happened in the past. Her phone lit up on the table; she had received a message from Christian asking where she was. She directed him to their location and two minutes later he showed up with his cousin and another blonde.

"Hey," he said sliding into the seat beside her. The trio greeted the other students at the table before taking their seats.

Callie gave a huge smile, "Hey yourself." She waved to Arizona and the other blonde who she recognized as one of Owen's friends. "I see Arizona got her bowtie issues resolved."

Christian chuckled, "Yeah. I had to come rescue her there," he said glancing over to his cousin who was in deep conversation with the taller blonde. "Apparently Teddy was only making it worse."

That was the blonde's name, "Oh I see. Well, Mr. Bond would you like to dance?" she smiled at him. Callie chuckled as she thought that she would make an excellent Xenia in the movies. Christian smiled at her, took her hand and led her to the dance floor. Callie looked back to wink at Addison but noticed that Arizona's eyes were watching them. The blonde quickly averted her gaze and looked at her friend.

Fifteen minutes later the two were back at the table. Again, Callie noticed that Arizona was watching them but thought nothing of it; after all, Christian was the girl's cousin. Callie also noticed that they had more company, Mark's new flavor of the month, Julia; the girl was currently sitting in his lap because she was obviously unable to go get another chair. Callie rolled her eyes and sat down. Christian offered to get her a drink and Arizona and Teddy followed him.

Addison sat in the chair that Christian had vacated, "So?"

Callie turned to her bemused, "So what?"

The redhead rolled her eyes dramatically, "You know what, Cal!"

"We just danced, Addy; nothing more."

"You're telling me that you had a hunk like Christian Manning out there on the dance floor with you and you did…nothing!"

Callie shrugged, "Yeah."

"Who are you?" Addison asked, surprised by Callie's sudden self-control.

"What? I wanna see how this progresses; so far we're still just friends."

"That didn't stop you from jumping Mark's bones!"

"Mark was…different; that was just sex. This…this isn't, Addy."

Addison nodded, impressed that a guy could change Callie Torres' views on relationships, "I'm proud of you, Cal; you're finally growing up." She saw Christian approaching and stood up to leave, "Your guy is back." Callie smiled as Addison gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Here you go, Ms. Torres," he placed a cup before her and took his seat.

"Thanks." She looked in the direction he was coming from, "Where did Arizona and Teddy go?"

"Oh, I left them talking to one of their friends," Callie nodded. "Hey I could have sworn I saw Bailey just now."

Callie laughed, "You might have. She's one of the professors usually given the duty of keeping us under control."

Christian joined in with his own laugh, "Well they made a good choice right there."

Callie's phone vibrated on the table and she rolled her eyes expecting to see a message from either Addison or Mark encouraging or cheering her on but instead it was a message from The_Marine.

_It's 9:50…ten more minutes. Remember that Marines are always on time so I'll be waiting._

She quickly replied.

_:D Ten minutes…see you there._

When Callie looked up from her phone she realized that a drunken Cristina had engaged Christian in conversation.

"So you're some kinda big musician, eh?" Cristina slurred to the man sitting before her.

"Uh, I don't know about big but I am a musician," Christian answered.

Cristina nodded as though she was satisfied with his answer, "So when are you gonna 'tune Callie's instrument'?"

"Cristina!" Callie shouted, a blush creeping across her face.

"What?" the Asian woman asked turning to look at her.

Callie quickly looked at Christian who was trying to stifle a laugh, "Don't answer that." She turned to look for Meredith but could not find the blonde.

Cristina leaned over the table and did a drunken whisper, "It looks like she's gonna want you to tune it really soon."

Christian could not help the laugh that escaped from his mouth. Callie looked at him exasperated, "Don't encourage her!" She looked around again, "Where is Meredith?"

Julia who overheard her question answered, "She and Derek just left to go outside."

"Ughh! Someone take Yang…somewhere else," she said to her friends who all shook their heads.

Cristina was still talking to Christian, "When you tune her, she'll sing like The Lady of the Lake!" Christian was laughing but it did not stop a blush from appearing on his face.

"Yang, shut up!" Callie pleaded.

"What? I'm just telling it as it is," Cristina rebutted, taking a mouthful of beer.

The Latina looked at her phone; she had five minutes before she met her mystery guy. So, she took Christian's hand and pulled him away from Cristina. He laughed, "I like her."

"No you don't," Callie smiled when she saw George sitting at another table with Lexie. She sat and smiled at the two, "Hey guys." They responded and she introduced Christian, "George, Lexie…Christian…Christian…George and Lexie." The three greeted each other and Christian sat beside Callie.

After a few awkward seconds of silence Lexie began, "So…"

Callie looked at her pleadingly, "Cristina is drunk and Meredith and Derek left to go do whatever so there's no one to control her and she started talking to Christian about 'tuning my instrument' and…she's being Cristina." Lexie nodded while George drank whatever was in his little cup, trying not to laugh. "Also I kinda need you guys to keep him busy cause I, uh, gotta go meet someone but I'll be back soon," Lexie nodded her okay. Callie turned to Christian and replayed the information to him before leaving the table.

Three minutes later she was outside of Pierce Hall and walking towards Big Ben. She silently thanked Mark for choosing this specific location because he was right, the immediate surroundings was packed with students. Callie saw only one person standing under the tree, his jacketed back was turned to her and she could not help but smile.

She took the final few steps towards to the blonde haired figure, "Hey. I'm a little late I know, sorry."

"It's okay," the person turned around. "Callie?"

The Latina was surprised that mysterious person knew her name and sounded like a woman; she looked closely at the person, "Arizona?"

"You're Rockstar?" Arizona asked surprised.

"You're The_Marine?" Callie asked even more surprised.

Both women nodded together. Callie was completely taken aback; her Marine, the guy she was supposed to meet tonight was a she and that she was Arizona Robbins.

Callie was brought out of her thoughts by Arizona's laughter, "What's so funny?"

The female James Bond shook her head, "Nothing. I just think this is really wei…weird."

"You think? I thought you were a guy!" Callie said folding her arms across her chest.

Arizona's laughter stopped, "I guess this is a bad surprise for you then."

"Yeah, it's a real let down," Callie answered sighing.

Arizona hung her head, "Well I guess I'm gonna go inside. You probably want to get back to Christian now," Callie was sure she heard some venom and hurt in the small blonde's voice when she spoke.

Arizona walked past the Latina and went inside; Callie did the same a few minutes later. When she walked through the doors of Pierce Hall her eyes met icy blues that were staring at the door, the blonde turned away and spoke to Teddy who pulled her away. Callie made her way back to the original table; she noticed that Christian, George and Lexie were there as well.

She sat beside Mark, who had got a reprieve from Julia. "Hey, you met your guy?" She shook her head. "He stood you up?"

Callie shook her head again and let out a small disbelieving chuckle, "He's a she."

Mark's eyebrows rose in fascination, "Who? Do we know her?"

Callie nodded, "Arizona Robbins."

**Thanks for taking the time to read this; your reviews, criticisms and comments are greatly appreciated. - Chris**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**Here's an update! This was supposed to be up yesterday but I fell ill and so I was unable to upload but I got up this morning and finished it up and uploaded for you guys so enjoy!**

**For those of you who're interested I've decided to join the Twitverse and so you can follow me: _AriFan07.**

**Dedicated to Derns**

"I don't see why you wouldn't just tell her how you feel about her," Teddy said throwing her Biochemistry textbook into her bag and zipping it up. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Arizona's blue eyes found hers and the blonde gave a sarcastic laugh, "Do you know who she is? Callie Torres, Teddy! Callie frickin' Torres!"

The taller blonde shrugged, "So?"

Arizona sighed, "Just forget, Altman and let's get to class before Burke blows a fuse." Teddy laughed and they left the room together.

It was a week since Arizona had met Rockstar at 007…a week since she found out that her crush and IM buddy were the same person…a week since Callie's response of 'it's a real let down' had been said and had caused her so much hurt. A week since all of that but still the Latina was always on her mind…Callie Torres was all she wanted right now but she was not what the other woman wanted.

"Good morning class," Burke had just walked in with his briefcase in one hand and a few sheets of paper in the other. There was a murmured 'morning' from the sixteen students in the class. "As you are all aware, you are required to complete a research project over the next one and a half years in order to complete this course," a collective groan went up from the class. "Now you will be partnered with another student to carry out this research and at the end, which is your final semester of your senior year I want a group report and an individual report from each of you."

Teddy leaned over to whisper in Arizona's ear, "Don't worry I'll make up for last time and do my share of work on this one." Arizona rolled her eyes as her friend gave her a thumbs-up.

"Now, I've taken the liberty of assigning your partners so don't think you'll all be saddling up with one of your friends."

Teddy leaned over once more, "Addison doesn't look too happy about that; Callie's fine though."

Arizona looked at her annoyed, "Why wouldn't she be? Sloan's name is right before hers, if anything they'll be paired." Teddy shrugged as Burke began speaking again.

He held up the papers in his hand, "I will be calling the names of the partners and the tables you will be assigned to. When you are at your table you will be given the opportunity to choose which topic you would like to base your research on." Burke put on his glasses and stepped off the podium. "Altman and Bennett…table one. Chang and Davidson…table two. Edwards and Forbes-Montgomery…table 3. Grey and Hunt…table four. O'Malley and Percy…table five. Robbins and Sloan…table six. Torres and van Dyke…table seven. Yang and Zhao…table eight."

Arizona made her way to the back of the class where Mark was still sitting with Callie and Addison. When the blonde walked up Callie took Addison's hand and pulled her away without saying a word to the newcomer.

Mark smiled t her apologetically, "Hey there, partner."

The blonde sat beside him and gave a small smile, "Hey."

Before Mark could speak again Burke's voice bellowed through the room, "Grey and Hunt I need you to switch desks with Robbins and Sloan. So Grey and Hunt will be at table six while Robbins and Sloan will use table four,"

Arizona and Mark looked at each other and with a nod the two were off to table four. They occupied the two seats and Arizona got straight to business, "So what topic are we gonna choose?"

"I don't know; I haven't given it much thought." He mumbled to himself, "I probably should have listened when Cal was talking about this stupid thing." At the mention of the Latina's name Arizona subconsciously looked at her.

Turning to look at the dark haired man beside her, "Well since I have been doing some thinking about this, I suggest we do something in genetics."

"Genetics is boring. Can't we do something fun?" Mark asked looking at the blond skipping through the Biochemistry textbook.

Arizona rolled her eyes, "This isn't all about fun, Sloan."

"Yeah but we can add something fun to it. Come on, Blondie you know you want to," Mark said, poking Arizona in her side.

She swatted his hand away, "First of all, the name is Arizona, not Blondie and secondly, this is Biochemistry not football, Mark. Fun is not included. So we're doing genetics"

The man scowled, "Are you always this bossy?"

Arizona flipped her hair, "I'm not bossy, I just have better ideas."

Mark grunted, "Oh whatever."

The two began discussing specific topics they could explore. Fifty minutes into her discussion with Mark, Arizona's concentration was broken by laughter coming from her right. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw Callie with her hand on van Dyke's shoulder as the dirty blonde sitting beside her smiled. Arizona sighed; Callie was beautiful…she was simply amazing. The blonde watched as the girl leaned into the Latina and whispered in her ear causing Callie to throw back her head and laugh once more, her hair rippled across her shoulders and back as she shook with laughter.

"What's going on between you and Cal?" Mark asked turning to look at the woman beside him.

She looked at his eyes, surprised, "Excuse me?"

"You and Callie. What's going on between the two of you?" Mark responded getting peeved with his classmate.

"Uh, nothing. I haven't spoken to her since Friday night; you saw how she left when I came up to you guys earlier. You'd think I told her that I like her!" Arizona answered exasperated.

"Do you?" it was quick and direct, Mark was cutting no corners.

"Do I like her?" Mark nodded; Arizona chuckled, "I, uh…she likes my cousin."

"I didn't ask you that," Mark rebutted

"Why are we talking about this, Mark?" Arizona asked pulling her Biochemistry textbook closer to her and skipping through the pages.

Mark leaned in and closed the book, "Because I see the way you look at her, Robbins. You like her…a lot."

Arizona looked away, she was angry now, "If you know, why are you asking me then?" She held up her hand and laughed, "Is this where you tell me to stay away from her 'cause you'll hurt me if I do anything to her?"

Mark smirked and shook his head, "No. This is the part where I tell you that you should tell her how you feel."

Arizona laughed out loud before she covered her mouth with her hand, "And what good is that going to do? Last time I checked Callie Torres was straight."

"So I thought too but whatever happened between the two of you flustered her so much that she's stopped talking about your cousin and only speaks about you. Mind you most of it isn't good but my point is, you did something to her, Robbins."

"I don't think so, Mark. If I changed something with her it's that I made her hate me even more," Arizona said trying to pull her book from out of Mark's hands.

He pushed the book to the other side of the table, further away from her, "She doesn't hate you, Robbins."

Arizona snorted and looked at the focus of their conversation, "If this is the way she treats me when she supposedly doesn't hate me I wouldn't want to see how she'd treat me if she did hate me."

Mark shrugged, "If she hated you you'd be irrelevant to her." He shook his head, "Anyways, what I'm saying is that you need to talk to her and tell her how you feel. If it's a no then it's a no but you'll never know until you try."

She turned to look at Mark. "I've already gotten a no! She told me that meeting me at 007 was a huge letdown!" said to him angrily. "If that's not a no, I don't know what is."

"She was expecting to meet a guy; we all thought you were a guy, your tag is quite misleading," Mark said nonchalantly.

Arizona scrunched her brows and shook her head slightly, "What?"

"Cal thought you were a guy, an, and I quote, 'amazing, funny, smart and I bet really cute' guy." Arizona opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by a shout from Mark, "I got it!" the entire class turned to look at table four. The two smiled at their classmates apologetically. Mark leaned closer to the blonde and whispered, "I got it! Since we have to work on this thing together," he said gesturing to the closed textbook beside him, "You'll have to be around me a lot and Callie is around me a lot, so that way she'll see that you really are the 'amazing, funny, smart and really cute…uh, person…that you are." He finished with a huge grin on his face.

Arizona slowly raised a brow, "That's probably the stupidest thing I've ever heard but it just might work." He smile faltered, "Wait, but she has to work with her partner doesn't that mean that she won't be around?"

Mark waved off the question, "Knowing Cal, she'll have van Dyke around us; chess guys are irrelevant to her."

Arizona nodded, "Okay. You're sure this will work."

"Of course it will," Mark replied handing her the textbook.

"How long does it take you to walk from the Athletic Center to here?" Arizona asked as Teddy stepped through the door. "I called you ages ago!"

Teddy rolled her eyes and threw her bag on her bed, "You called me twenty minutes ago."

"Exactly…ages ago! It takes what…not even ten minutes to walk from the pools to here," Arizona said throwing one of the loops of her Froot Loops at her roommate.

Teddy picked up the purple circle and threw it in the bin, "I got held up doing something."

The blush that spread across the taller blonde's face did not escape Arizona's attention, "Owen, Andrew or Henry?"

"What? Why would you even think…," the look that Arizona gave her made her stop and sigh. "Henry."

Arizona smiled, "What'd he say?"

Teddy turned her back to Arizona and smiled, "He asked me out."

Arizona squealed and jumped up to hug her best friend from behind, spilling the rest of her loops in the process, "Tell me that you said yes." Teddy turned around and smiled even wider. "Okay, details, when and where is the lovely Mr. Burton taking you?"

"Saturday night, you know that restaurant that's down by the Sound?" Teddy said, stooping to pick up the various colored circles littering the floor between the two beds.

"Wow. That's a really high end restaurant," Arizona said raising her brows.

Teddy stood up, "Yeah, he knows the owners so it's no big deal for him, or so he said."

The shorter of the two blondes nodded, "I must say, Henry has really good taste."

Teddy smiled, "So what were you and Sloan discussing so eagerly in class this morning?"

"Our research project. We're doing genetics," Arizona said with a straight face.

"I bet you were," she threw Arizona's cereal into the bin. She stood with her hands akimbo, "What was it that he got?"

"Uh, an idea about something that we could do," she popped one of the circles she found on her bed into her mouth and stretched out with her hands behind her head.

"Oh, and what was that?" Teddy smirked as Arizona opened and closed her mouth, unable to find anything to say. "You are a horrible liar."

"And that makes me a bad person how?" Teddy only laughed and mimicked Arizona's position on the already crowded bed. "Sloan knows; something about the way I look at her."

"That's a good thing; he can advocate for you," Teddy replied gently kicking Arizona's head with her foot.

"Only he doesn't want to advocate for me. He wants me to do it myself."

"How're you gonna do that? Doesn't she hate you?" Teddy asked sitting up on her elbows to look at her roommate.

Arizona nodded, "She doesn't hate me, or so he says. Since Sloan and I are partners we'll have to be around each other a lot, discussing and planning and all, and he says that she would never dream of being around van Dyke's geeky friends so she can see who I am and fall for me. You know she thought I was a guy!"

Teddy laughed, "You must have been offended."

"I was. So anyways, I'm hoping Sloan's plan works or I'll be making a complete jackass of myself."

"Hold up, how does Chris fit into this?"

Arizona sat up like her best friend, "He doesn't. He's still hung up over his ex-girlfriend and doesn't see Callie that way."

"Oh. Has he told her that?"

Arizona did a half shrug, "You'd have to ask him that."

"Um, no." There was a few minutes of silence between the friends before Teddy spoke again, "So you're gonna tell her that you like her?"

"No. I prefer to sit in my bubble and watch her from afar," Arizona countered.

"You want to pop the bubble."

"No, I don't though," Arizona said shaking her head.

"Believe me; I've been living in that bubble for years. Oh no, Owen and I? We're just friends, really." Teddy said mockingly.

So you admit that you have something for him," Arizona said earning another kick from the blonde. She sighed, "I don't want to pop it cause my bubble is so pink and so…pretty."

Pop the bubble," Teddy said gracefully rolling to the floor and standing to move over to her bed.

Arizona's phone vibrated next to her head, she grabbed it and read a message from Christian. "Hey, Chris wants us to meet up with him so we can go and get something to eat."

"Cool, let's go; I'm starving," Teddy said jumping from her bed.

The other blonde laughed and rolled her eyes, "As always."

A few minutes later, the two were walking into the music theater hall. They opened the large doors and heard music filtering from the piano in one corner of the stage and saw Callie and Owen standing on said stage with Professor Bailey. They two blondes sat at the seat furthest to the back. Arizona watched as the brunette and ginger on the stage nodded while Christian played in the background. Bailey left the stage, Callie whispered to Owen and the two laughed.

"Okay, let's begin. Music!" Bailey shouted and Christian's song suddenly morphed into another.

A few seconds later Owen's deep baritone voice resonated through the room. Arizona snapped her head to look at Teddy who was just as surprised as she was.

Arizona nudged Teddy and whispered, "I'm guessing you had no clue about this?"

"None whatsoever," Teddy responded shaking her head.

"He's…wow!" Arizona said turning back to look at the two singers on the stage.

Owen was singing in Latin and so the two women had no idea what he was saying. He suddenly turned to Callie and she began singing as well. When the Latina opened her mouth and the first note came out, Arizona's eyes grew even wider and she sat back in her seat. If Owen's singing was wow, Callie's was utterly amazing and mind blowing. Hearing her crush sing did only caused Arizona to desire her more and she groaned.

"What? She's really good…who knew Callie Torres could sing?" Teddy said leaning into the blonde by her side.

"I know but…I've got to burst the bubble," Arizona said covering her face with her hands.

When she peeked through her fingers she saw Teddy smirking at her, "Go get your girl, Robbins."

"She's not my girl, Theodora."

"Not yet," Teddy sing-songed.

"Shut up, Teddy." The two turned back to the stage where Owen and Callie were now singing together.

Half an hour later the two were completely finished with their practice. Bailey was on stage speaking with them again, and Callie and Owen were nodding along to what the short woman was saying. The professor left the students on the stage and left Arizona and Teddy in the hall. The three walked off the stage, Owen between Callie and Christian and Teddy and Arizona stood up to meet them.

"When did you guys get here?" Christian asked seeing his cousin and her roommate.

Arizona smiled, "Like thirty minutes ago."

"Oh," Callie fell out of step with the boys and ended up walking behind Owen.

Christian and Owen stopped. Callie and Arizona made eye contact and the blonde decided to take the initiative and tried to prick her pink bubble, "Hi, Callie." The Latina scowled, mumbled and walked out of the hall. Arizona and Teddy looked at Christian who shrugged.

Owen looked around the small group, put his hands together and smiled, "Everyone ready to go?"

There was a chorus of 'yeah' and the four left the theater hall. When they stepped outside, Arizona stopped and looked to her right. She saw Callie walking in that direction, towards her hall, she sighed and jogged to catch her friends who were walking away from Callie.

Maybe she would not pop her pretty pink bubble just yet.

**Thanks to everyone for reading, feel free to go ahead and review. Oh, Anon reviews are allowed. Sorry to all those readers who wanted to leave reviews and were unable to, I just realized. Again sorry.**

**Now go forth and review my wonderful readers.**

**For those of you who're interested I've decided to join the Twitverse and so you can follow me at _AriFan07. Thanks.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**Well, hello. Since I'm on summer break I'll be writing more often which means you guys should be able to get more frequent updates. So here's Chapter 7, enjoy!**

**For those of you who're interested I've decided to join the Twitverse and so you can follow me: _AriFan07.**

**Dedicated to Derns**

"Why does Sloan have to have her around us?" Callie said throwing her just folded shirt into a corner of her bed angrily.

"Because she's his partner," Addison responded in a matter-of-fact tone.

"That doesn't mean they have to be around us all the time!" the Latina shouted turning to look at her best friend.

The redhead shrugged, "I don't see what your problem is with her. She's really nice."

Callie grunted, "When did you become a member of the Arizona Robbins fan club?"

"I'm not a member of her fan club; I'm just saying that if you weren't so busy being a bitch to the girl maybe you'd see that she's a really nice person."

Callie glared at her best friend, "I'm not being a bitch, Addison."

"Uh, yes you are. The only thing that happened was that you met someone who you had come to like and because that person wasn't a guy, as you expected, you're gonna sulk and shun the girl? If you liked The_Marine when you two were talking over the phone, why can't you look past gender and be friends with her?" Addison reasoned taking up the shirt Callie threw on the bed, folding it and putting it in the other woman's drawer.

"Because that's deception, Addison!" Callie said following her roommate as she tidied the room.

Addison stopped and looked at Callie, "No. That's you being a bitch, Cal." Callie huffed and left the room.

A few minutes later she walked through the doors of the theater hall; it was the only place that she was able to think properly. She sat in one of the fold out seats in a dark corner of the hall and watched as the university's male drama ensemble practiced their latest play. She watched the men move around the stage and watched as the director stopped them every five minutes. Her mind eventually drifted to the reason she was sitting there watching men getting frustrated. Arizona Robbins.

She did not hate Arizona, not in the least, she actually liked her…romantically but no one knew that, not even her best friends. She was Callie Torres, she liked penis, and everyone knew that. However in the final year of undergrad school she felt a pull towards another female student, Erica Hahn. She had originally thought that it was simply because they were good friends and had gotten really close but after Erica had kissed her one night she realized that she really did have feelings for the other woman…feelings she normally had for guys. Now in her second year of graduate school, those feelings were back and they were for another blue eyed blonde. The difference between two years ago and now was that her feelings for Arizona were much stronger than whatever she had for Erica. Callie blushed slightly when she remembered the first time she had felt those feelings towards Arizona. It was long before she had almost hit the blonde with a softball and even longer before she had met Christian.

_It was fifteen minutes into the second Biochemistry class for the semester and Burke had successfully bored Callie to death. The Latina's attention was now focused on the doodles that were coming to life as she flipped the corners of her pages. When she had flipped through her little cartoon for what felt like the hundredth time she glanced over at Addison. The redhead was busy making use of her iPad…to fix her hair and apply her makeup. Callie chuckled and rolled her eyes at her best friend. She looked to her left and saw Mark sleeping on his opened textbook. Callie looked at the clock above the professor's head and whispered, "Thirty-five minutes before I get out of this hell hole." She turned back to her book and decided to draw a cartoon of Burke getting hit by a bus. She smiled as she drew the picture of the stick figure with dark hair being hit by an oncoming bus. An almost inaudible creaking from the door behind her caused her to glance around. Peeking through the door was a pair of grey-green eyes and some strands of blonde hair. The person caught Callie's eyes and smiled before looking at Burke. Lucky for the blonde, the professor's back was turned. She made a quick entrance into the room; Callie was surprised to see not one blonde woman enter the room but two blondes. The two sat in the row in front of Callie, Mark and Addison, shared a grin and a high-five. When the second and shorter of the two blondes had turned to smile with her friend, Callie's breath hitched. The woman was beautiful and she fell in love with her dimpled smile right there. Callie smiled at how the blonde's eyes seemed to shine when smiled. _

_Burke's voice brought the Latina out of her thoughts, "Ms. Robbins," the blonde that was Callie's focus looked up from her book, "Can you please tell us what the is the main cause of cellular retardation?"_

_Callie watched as the blonde thought for a brief second, "FIND ANSWER AND WRITE IN." She chuckled as she saw Burke scowl and the woman smirk._

"_She's badass," Callie said to herself._

_When the man had turned away to answer a question another student posed Robbins did a dance in her seat causing her shoulder length, loose curls to bounce around._

Despite that it was months before Callie was able to hold a conversation with the blonde and it was also the first time she was able to see Arizona's eyes properly. She had known that her eyes were blue, but there was something else about her eyes that Callie did not pick up until she saw them up close.

"_Are you gonna stand there all day or are you gonna throw the ball, Sloan?" the short Asian woman shouted._

"_This takes skill, Yang. You can't just throw it," Mark replied still sizing the batter up._

"_Throwing a ball takes having a brain! That explains why you're yet to throw it!" a collective laughter came from everyone around, except Mark._

_Mark twisted his neck from side to side, "You ready, Cal?"_

"_I've been ready since forever, Mark. Just throw the ball," Callie replied as she swiveled her bat from side to side._

_Mark shrugged, "Okay."_

_Callie watched the yellow ball approach her and swung her bat around, giving it a sound hit. She shielded her eyes with her hand and watched as the ball went over Sam's head and continued. _

"_What the hell, Torres?" Mark said jogging off to retrieve the ball._

"_How many points does our team get for hitting a blonde?" Cristina asked from her position by the tree. When Callie heard this she took off behind Mark._

_When she saw the blonde that Cristina was referring to her heart rate sped up and she slowed to a walk. During the short walk over to where Arizona and Mark were standing, the Latina composed herself and managed to put an apologetic smile on her face._

"_Uh, sorry about that, I really didn't expect that to go that far…at all." Callie was impressed, so far she was talking to the blonde and making perfect sense._

"_Uh…it's okay. I didn't get hit or anything so it's alright," Arizona gave her signature dimpled smile and Callie was sure her eyes glazed over at the sight of those perfect dimples._

_She caught herself just in time to respond, "That's good." She decided to play this whole thing nonchalantly and extended her hand, "I'm Callie by the way. Hey aren't you in my Biochem class?"_

_Arizona smiled wider and held on to her hand and it was then that Callie realized what was so different about those blue eyes. The eyes that were clear blue just seconds before were now a few shades darker._

_Callie had just explained that she was normally at the back of Burke's class when Cristina shouted at them to get back to the game. She shook the blonde's hand once more, "It was nice meeting you, Arizona." She smiled, it was really nice. _

_Cristina shouted again and Callie jumped when Mark spoke, completely forgetting that he was even there, "Hey Cristina wants to know if you want to join us."_

_The blonde looked at Mark briefly before her eyes returned to Callie's, only this time instead of being blue they had a sort of gray hue, she rejected the offer and gave an apology. Callie felt her hand being squeezed and realized that her hand was still linked with the other woman's. They said goodbye once more and Callie walked with Mark to their friends, inclusive of a very pissed off Asian. When she had with her friends again she turned and looked at the blonde walking away. Damn, she was smitten._

Over the next few weeks Callie had decided that her crush on Arizona had to remain just that…an unknown, unacknowledged crush. It definitely was not easy. She had thought that forgetting Arizona and her feelings about the other woman would have been easier when she met Christian Manning but that was not so. That was how it usually was when it came to Callie Torres' love life, to move on from one person she would simply find someone else. It had worked with Erica Hahn.

After college Callie and Erica had decided to stay in Washington for university but a week before school was set to start, she received a two sentence text message from the woman: 'I'm going to Maryland. Bye.' With that Erica Hahn was gone and Callie was left in a pretty bad shape. So, she started banging Mark again and hoped that it would help her move on. It helped…somewhat. She still had moments where she missed Erica but they were rare and when they came up she would call on Mark. It worked, over time she missed Erica less and less until she was glad the blonde was gone.

Arizona Robbins was a whole different matter. Christian was unable to make her forget about her crush on the blonde and what made it worse was that the two were cousins. She remembered how she quietly laughed at herself while in bed the night Christian had told her that he and Arizona were related. It was not easy because there was an attraction to Christian, albeit a small pull compared to what she felt for Arizona. She would be lying if she said that she was not slightly relived when Christian had told her that he would rather be friends with her than pursue a romantic relationship, he gave no reason but Callie was fine because her feelings for his cousin had not waned any during her flirtation with the guy.

Callie realized that there was nothing she could do to forget Arizona…to ignore what she felt for her…she wanted her but was unable to have her because there was so much wrong with wanting Arizona. Firstly, this was fairly new territory for her, as far as everyone (everyone who mattered to Callie, at least) was concerned she was a straight Latina from Miami. Secondly, in Miami her family, the Torres clan, was one of the most pious Roman Catholic families so it would not have been pretty to find out that Callie had left home and gone gay. Thirdly, and possibly most importantly, Arizona Robbins was not gay.

The evening of the get-together in the Rhimes Hall lounge made its way into Callie's mind.

Mark had been upset that Arizona had not agreed to be his date to 007 and had been sulking the entire day and 'expertly' came to the conclusion that the blonde had to be gay. Callie quickly removed that idea when she saw Arizona across the room flirting with a guy. She was slightly surprised that jealousy and anger were the first two emotions that she had; she was jealous that Arizona was into someone else, jealous that this guy was able to hold Arizona's attention and get her to laugh, jealous that his hand was on her and not hers and she was angry at herself for feeling those things. She smiled when Christian came into view, he sat down and they held a decent conversation despite Callie's frequent and not so subtle glances in Arizona's direction. Christian, Arizona and the guy left together. She later found out that the guy was one of Christian's close friends and neither he nor Arizona had any interest in each other, but Callie jealousy and anger never failed to come up when she saw the guy or saw him and Arizona together.

Callie was broken from her thoughts when the director stopped the onstage acting and threw his hands into the air before flinging his script to the ground. The men on the stage, their eyes wide with surprise and fear, took a few steps back as the man paced in front of them. "You are supposed to be soldiers! Frickin soldiers! Not a bunch of prissy girls. Now do what I've told you a million times!" the short, balding man shouted and walked off the stage in a huff.

The mention of soldiers brought Callie's mind back to Arizona…actually The_Marine.

Addison was right, she had begun to like The_Marine, as a friend, he…she…was able to make Callie laugh and smile. Once Mark had said that only her Marine could get her to smile so brightly and it was sort of true; Callie could think of one other person who could make her smile and that was, Arizona Robbins. But no one knew that and no one was going to know that…ever. So she built a friendship with an unknown person over the phone and had agreed to meet the person at 007. She dressed up and met the person under Big Ben at ten o'clock. That in and of itself, provided a huge surprise for her. Arizona was standing where she was supposed to meet The_Marine. The only thing Callie could think at that moment was that was the shittiest position she had ever been in; she was standing in front of her crush, expecting to see a guy.

At that moment the worst thing she could have ever said came from her mouth, "It's a real let down." The look on Arizona's face was like a stab to her heart and Callie watched as her eyes took on their grayish hue. Callie felt horrible. She knew she should have apologized, she knew she should have said something…anything but it was too late and Arizona was gone. When she walked through the doors of Pierce Hall she caught Arizona's eyes but the blonde looked away and they spent the rest of the night on opposite sides of the large hall.

The days that passed found Callie being angry with herself for what happened that night and she released all that anger on Arizona and basically made the other woman terrified of her, she saw it in her eyes when she thought Callie was not looking at her. That was not what she wanted. She was an idiot.

After going through everything she had been through with Arizona she came to the realization that Addison was right, she was being a bitch towards the blonde woman, and for what? Because she had a crush on her and did not want anyone to find out she had a thing for girls. No.

She actually laughed at herself this time, she was being stupid. Like she had told Mark over a week ago, pretty girls like Arizona were not gay.

Callie sighed, she was not much further in her decision about what to do regarding her feelings towards Arizona but at least she realized that being the biggest bitch in the world towards the other woman was a bad idea.

She entered her room silently, changed her clothes and crept into her bed.

"So you found out that you really are being a bitch?" her roommate's voice came from the other side of the room.

"Yeah," Callie breathed out.

Addison sat up and leaned on her elbow, "Why though, Cal?"

Callie sighed and met her best friend's eyes, "Because I like her."

"You do? So why are you treating her like an enemy?" Addison asked scrunching her brows.

"You don't get it Addison. I like her as in ro…as in how you like Sam?" Callie said lying down on her back and looking up at the ceiling.

"Excuse me?" Addison said, sitting in the middle of her bed.

Callie rolled her eyes and mirrored Addison's position, "I'm bisexual, Addison."

"Since when?" the redhead asked leaning forward.

"Since, Erica, okay?" Callie was quickly getting frustrated the other woman's questions.

Addison nodded, "And how long have you liked Arizona?"

The Latina could not help but grin, "Since that day she snuck into Biochem class."

"Robbins was later for a class?" Addison digressed but caught herself, "And you're just telling me this now, why?"

"Because…I've got a rep for liking penis, now I'm going the other way; what do you think will happen? What'll people say?"

"Screw what people think and say, Cal. It's all about what you think and what you feel."

"I don't know what to think, Addie. What am I supposed to do?"

Addison shrugged, "How about telling her."

Callie laughed, "No." Addison gave her a look that asked why, "Because Arizona Robbins is not gay."

"Suppose she is?"

Callie shook her head, "Pretty girls like her aren't gay, Addison."

"You're gay."

"You sure you aren't too," Callie laughed and dodged the stuffed elephant that came from the other side of the room.

"Listen, Cal. Just tell her, if she doesn't swing that way then that's just how it goes. It's better to ask and know than to not ask and be wondering for the rest of your life."

Callie answered, "Fine." She really had no intention of asking Arizona anything.

There were a few minutes of contemplative silence from both women before Addison asked, "When were you going to tell me this?"

Callie shrugged, "Never."

"Uh huh. And this thing with Hahn?"

"Is old news. Dead and buried, Addison," said pointedly, laying down again.

"Sure. And by the way, if you don't ask Arizona I will."

Callie slowly lifted and looked at the redhead looking back at her, "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me," Addison winked.

"Fine," Callie huffed, "I'll find out. I'm just not asking her."

"Why not?" the redhead asked.

"'Cause I'm sure she thinks that I hate her guts and she she'd probably be too scared to talk to me."

"Oh yeah, the Torres glare does that," Addison said nodding.

"Would you stop saying that! I do not have a glare!"

"Yeah you do, and your mom and Aria, not to mention your day." Addison pointed at Callie's face, "See, you're doing it now."

"Shut up. Just shut up and go to sleep," Callie growled allowing her head to fall on her pillow once more.

Addie shrugged, "Okay."

When Callie was being pulled under she heard Addison's voice say, "My best friend is a lady lover."

Callie smiled and thought to herself, "Just an Arizona lover."

**Thanks to everyone for reading, feel free to go ahead and review. Oh, Anon reviews are allowed. Sorry to all those readers who wanted to leave reviews and were unable to, sorry.**

**Now go forth and review my wonderful readers.**

**For those of you who're interested I've decided to join the Twitverse and so you can follow me: _AriFan07. **

**Thanks.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**Wanted to get this out earlier but I got sucked into this college program I'm attending so now I've gotta juggle college classes, assignments and papers with writing fics but it'll happen. Chapter eight guys, enjoy!**

**For those of you who're interested and who aren't already following me (huge smiley face and thanks to those of you who are) I've decided to join the Twitverse and so you can follow me: _AriFan07.**

**Dedicated to Derns**

"You are the worst wingman ever, Mark Sloan," Arizona said jabbing at the grape on her plate.

Mark held up his hand, "Hey, it's only been a few days; give it some time."

"No. You grinning and saying 'Isn't she amazing' after everything I do and say is not going to work."

"So you're gonna tell her you like her then?"

"No."

"Then we have no other choice but to go along with my plan," Arizona rolled her eyes. "Besides, I think I came up with an even better idea."

"Oh, another Marcus Sloan idea brought to you by the kind sponsorship of Dumb and Dumber Incorporated," Arizona mocked.

The man looked at her pointedly, "Do you want my help or not?"

"Fine, oh wise one."

"You got that right, I'm a sage when it comes to women," Arizona rolled her eyes. "We're gonna do an old trick, right. I'm gonna get the two of you alone, get you talking and bam," he pounded his fist on the table, "She'll fall for you right there."

Arizona raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure you're a sage when it comes to this?"

"Yes; I've set up relationships before. Look at Derek and Addison, who do you think was responsible for that?" he gave a smug grin.

"Wow. You got them together and then broke them up! You really are something, Mark."

"Wait, how'd you know about that?"

"Grey isn't as secretive as everyone thinks," she shrugged.

"Anyways, my point is that they had a good thing before it began sucking."

"I'm sure there was some sucking involved."

"So mature, Robbins," she gave him a dimpled smile. "Look, what I'm saying is trust me; I can make you and Cal happen in no time."

Arizona looked down at her plate and started pushing the grape around, "I don't know, Mark."

"What?"

"I…it's just…Callie's been all angry and harsh towards me and it's gotten worse since recently…I just don't know if it's…if she's worth going through all that trouble only to have her say no and slam a door in my face."

Mark shrugged, "The sex is worth it…amazing."

"I really didn't need to know that you two have done it before. And it's not about sex…although it's crossed my mind quite a bit. It's about her…Callie…I don't know if she's worth it."

Mark put down the apple he had just taken up, "What is it about her that makes you like her so much?"

Without thinking Arizona answered, "Her smile. It's possibly the most beautiful thing I've ever seen; it's perfect and stunning just like she is. Now I don't know about the sex but her smile is amazing." She mumbled to herself, "It's a shame I haven't seen it much lately." She looked up at Mark and smiled, "She…I…when she walks into a room it's like everyone else in the world ceases to exist and it's just her. It's hell trying to tear my eyes away when she's around. She isn't sunshiney and happy but it's just right. If you check out my past it's filled with perky and rainbows and sunshine and crap, personally I'm enough for me; Callie's the first girl I can say that I truly like who's…edgy. She's got the whole badass thing going for her and it works. Cocky works for her. She oozes confidence and it's just so…damn…sexy." Arizona's eyes glazed over as she continued talking about Callie. "Um, she's passionate about everything and you can't help but love that. I saw her at choir practice the other day and…I've heard people sing and it's good but Callie…the passion and energy she puts into her singing and basically everything she does it just blows you away. She's that good. And finally but by no means least, have you seen her! Sex appeal just runs off her in waves. It's like I've got a party doing on down there every time I look at her. Her breasts and her curves…can anyone be more perfect?" Arizona shook her head in response.

"You got it bad dontcha?"

Arizona blushed, "You think so."

"I know so and that's how you know she's worth it. You just rolled all of that off without thinking. She's worth it, Robbins and so are you."

She gave a half smile, "Yeah. Thanks, Mark."

"Alright. Come on, we got a long way to go before we get our Biochem research project even halfway and I'm lost when it comes to that encoding/decoding thing you were talking about yesterday."

Arizona laughed, "Fine. I swear, your head is so think."

He winked, "I've heard that before."

Arizona pushed him as they walked from their table, "Perv."

"What?" Arizona shouted getting up from her seat in front of Mark.

"He…he just blacked out, Arizona," the blonde held up a finger to the man.

"That's stupid, Teddy!" she shouted into the phone. "Where did they take him?"

"Seattle Grace Hospital."

"Okay. I'm heading over there now."

"What happened?" Mark asked looking confused as Arizona stuffed books, papers and pens into her bag.

"Christian. He's in the hospital; I gotta go," the woman turned and almost ran away.

Half an hour later she opened the door to her cousin's room. The doctor had told her that he suffered a brain aneurysm and was in a coma. When she entered the room Teddy stood up and gave her the chair, leaving the room without only an apologetic glance in her direction. Arizona sat and looked at her cousin's pale face and the dark hair falling into his eyes.. Suppressing a sob she brushed back thick strands of hair and rested her palm on his cheek. His skin was cool, well over normal body temperature but not so much as though he were dead. She grabbed his hand and released her tears; the only thing she could think was, "At least he isn't dead."

_Arizona, Timothy and Christian were lying on the grass in the Robbins' backyard. It was the summer before Arizona and Christian started college and Tim was off from military training._

"_I got drafted," the eldest said quietly._

"_What?" two voices on either side of him shouted._

_He sighed, "I'm leaving in two months."_

"_Don't you have like three months of training left?" Arizona asked, unable to believe that her brother was already being called into action._

"_Yeah, but they need more men over there so the best of us got drafted and I'm going." Both Arizona and Christian were silent. They had known this day would come but not so soon. Another member of the Robbins family was going to war. Their great grandfather, and his father before him, went, their grandfather went, Tim and Arizona's father went and Christian's mother went. The only member not to have died in battle was Daniel Robbins and now his only son was going into the heat of battle. The odds were definitely not in Tim's favour but he was taught to love and serve his country._

"_Have you told Mom and Dad yet?" Arizona asked._

"_Not yet, Phoenix. I don't know how to tell Mom just yet," the blonde nodded._

"_You don't sound too enthused," Christian offered._

"_I am. It's an honor but damn, Chris, I didn't expect to go a month after I enlisted."_

"_Yeah but this is what our family does, we serve country first."_

"_I know," the blond sighed. "I think I'm gonna find Dad and tell him." An 'okay' from his sister and cousin and he was gone._

_When Tim was inside, Christian moved over to take his place beside Arizona, "Are you crying?"_

"_Yeah. My brother is going to war and you know just as well as I do how many Robbins' have come back."_

"_I know, 'Zona. Hey, Tim will be number two, okay?" He paused but started again soon after, "I had always hoped that my mom would have come home like Uncle did but that didn't happen so mow it's up to Tim."_

"_And if he doesn't? If he becomes another flag that Dad has in his den, what do we do then?"_

"_Then we mourn him and move on, there's nothing else to do. But he is coming home." There was now an extra flag in Daniel Robbins' den and behind it stands a picture of his son, Captain Timothy Robbins._

_Arizona sighed, "It's just you and me now, cousin."_

"_Yeah," he reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze._

_Two months later they started college together, four years after that they went their separate ways only to end up back together again and somewhere in those four years and two months Timothy Robbins went to war and died fighting for his country._

"Hey I need you to wake up, Chris; I can't lose you too. You have to hold on for me, for your Dad and for Victoria. Can you do that?" she squeezed his hand like he had done years before and her tears flowed freely. She rested her head on the edge of the bed and closed her eyes. Ten minutes later, a soft knock caused her to lift her head and use her free hand to dry her cheeks. "Come," her voice was hoarse and she hated how it sounded.

The person who walked in surprised Arizona but she really should not have been surprised. Of course Callie would come to check on Christian.

The Latina closed the door quietly, "How is he?"

Arizona found herself talking despite everything that told her to shut up, "Doctor said that had an aneurysm; he's in a coma." She looked at Christian's face and tears pooled in her eyes once more.

Callie moved to the other side of the bed, though Arizona was not sure when, and put her hand on his shoulder and looked down at his face as well, "But he's going to be okay, right?"

"I don't know…they don't know. He could die…the survival rate is – I don't know," Arizona managed to get out. She could not care less if that made any sense to the other woman.

"Hey he's gonna be fine."

"Do not say that cause you don't know that!"

"Christian's a fighter, Arizona."

"Don't talk about him like you know him…like…like you guys have been friends since forever. You do not know anything about Christian."

"No but I know you."

Arizona gave a mirthless laugh, "You hate me! So how –"

"I don't hate you."

Arizona scoffed, "You could have fooled me."

Callie opened her mouth to speak when another knock sounded at the door and the two women, more so Arizona, glared at each other as a nurse opened the door. She smiled sheepishly, picking up the obvious tension in the room, before going to check the monitors and wires attached to the man on the bed.

The woman left and with a glance at Arizona, Callie mumbled, "I hope he gets better," and was out the door.

Almost a minute had passed. Arizona groaned and rubbed her temple – Callie Torres was difficult. She released her cousin's hand and was out the door behind the woman who had just left. She spotted her walking towards the elevator. "Callie, wait!" the Latina paused for a brief second midstride before continuing. It was surprising how fast Callie walked when she was upset, she had walked half of the corridor in the seconds that Arizona was sitting there. The blonde continued her speed walking but watched as Callie stepped into the elevator, turned around and crossed her hands over her chest. She was not pleased. Neither was Arizona because here she was chasing a woman who hated her because she felt she had come off a little too strongly.

She watched as Callie leveled her with an angry glare and as the metal doors began to slide to a close.

**Thanks to everyone for reading, feel free to go ahead and review and remember anon reviews are allowed. **

**Now go forth and review my wonderful readers.**

**Thanks.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**Sorry for the slow update. Still being swamped with work in classes and we had a huge power outage that took out our electricity for four days and I had to complete two papers in five days…but excuses are for squares so I'm done with them now.**

**Chapter 9, enjoy!**

**For those of you who're interested and who aren't already following me (huge smiley face and thanks to those of you who are) I've decided to join the Twitverse and so you can follow me: _AriFan07.**

**Dedicated to Derns**

There was only a fraction of space left before the doors closed fully but somehow a hand found its way in that small space, forcing the doors open again. Callie saw a flustered Arizona standing on the other side. They exchanged glances and Arizona stepped in, so Callie stepped back and to the right, effectively putting as much space as possible between herself and the blonde.

She never intended to have Arizona blow up at her and then storm out of a room because the blonde had hurt her and she definitely had no intention of having said woman chase her into and corner her in an elevator. No. Her intention was to come to the hospital, check up on Arizona to see how she was handling it, hoping she needed a shoulder to cry on so she could provide hers. Not this at all. Here she was trying to push herself into the corner as much as possible. Her eyes were fixed on Arizona's as those once blue eyes reflected gray. The blonde looked away and stopped the elevator. Callie furrowed her brows at the other woman's actions, she was really cornered now.

Arizona looked at her again, "I'm sorry. I…I shouldn't have blown up at you like that, it was totally inappropriate. Sorry."

The apology caught her off guard but Callie shrugged, deciding to feign nonchalance, "It's fine."

Callie watched as Arizona squeezed her eyes shut and when she reopened them they were blue once more, "It's just…unnerving how you treat me while we're on campus and then you come here and check on my cousin, acting like we're friends. It's…it's like you've forgotten that you hate me."

"I told you, I don't hate you, Arizona!" she said forcefully causing the blonde to take a step back.

She regained her composure and retook her position, "Then what's with all the looks, treating me like I don't exist and leaving when I show up?"

"I…I'm…nothing," Callie lied. The look on Arizona's face showed that she was not impressed with that response, "I'm processing something, okay?"

Arizona nodded slowly, "I see, and you decide that you should take your 'problem' out on me, right?"

Callie did not want to answer the question, she wanted to scream. After more than a minute of silence Callie broke, "I didn't come here to look for Christian," she whispered her words but she knew that Arizona had heard her. "I mean, of course I wanted to know if he was okay but…," she broke the other woman's gaze and looked over her head, "My main reason for coming here was to see how you were doing." She chanced a quick glance and saw surprise and confusion marring Arizona's face.

"But…but you ha–" Arizona began.

"Stop saying that! I don't hate you…I like you!"

"What?" Arizona said, even more confused.

Callie sighed, it was now or never, "I like you, Arizona." She said it; there was no turning back now.

"Like me?" the blonde was still confused.

The Latina pinched the bridge of her nose, "Yeah, as in 'I can't stop thinking about you' like you."

Arizona nodded slowly and turned to face the doors, she pressed the stop button and the elevator lurched into action again.

Now Callie was the confused one. She had just told this woman that she was crushing on her big time and she did not even respond. No, she was not confused, she was upset. Did Arizona not hear her say that she liked her? She was hurt. She had just let out one of her deepest secrets and Arizona's response was to turn away and say nothing.

The elevator came to a stop and Arizona stepped aside to allow Callie to pass.

Callie took a step forward and was standing beside the blonde, "Arizona…"

"You have practice in," she looked at her watch, "Forty seven minutes. Go." Callie said nothing to her and walked off the elevator.

Almost four hours later she was sitting in the theater hall, the room was dark and the only illumination came from the small (and almost ineffective) lights going down the aisles. Practice today was average at best. Bailey had to fill in on piano for Christian and Callie herself was not in a mood to sing. Owen had picked up on that and tried to have enough passion and emotion for them both but that did not work out well. After practice Bailey chewed her out for her lackluster performance and warned her that if she continued like that she would have no qualms about replacing her with Lexie Grey. Despite all of the threats coming from Bailey only one thing was on the Latina's mind, she had admitted to Arizona something that only one other person knew, something she did not want to admit to even herself a few weeks ago. And she got rejected. Callie sighed and allowed her head to fall back on her chair. After a few minutes of staring blankly at the far away ceiling she slapped her forehead. She was the biggest idiot alive. Of course she got rejected by the straight girl! Where was her commonsense when she needed it in that elevator?

A body sat down beside her, she did not know who it was and presumed it was Addison or Cristina because the person was too small to be Mark.

"That was bold," she was stunned when she heard the voice.

Arizona.

"What're you doing here?" Callie asked not lifting her head.

"I'm talking to you. And before you ask, Addison told me you were probably here."

"Oh."

"So yeah, that was bold," Callie scoffed. "And Mark was right."

Callie lifted her head and looked in Arizona's direction, "What does Mark have to do with any of this?"

"He told me that what happened at 007 kinda bothered you a lot and I quote, 'there's a chance that she really doesn't hate you, Robbins.'"

Callie felt her cheeks get hot, she was thankful for the darkness that enveloped her, "I guess he was right then."

"Yeah." A moment of silence passed between them before Arizona broke it, "What do you think of what you said?"

"I think it was stupid," Callie answered shrugging.

"Why?" she could imagine Arizona's eyes shining blue right now but the darkness kept them covered.

"Because…I came out to you and we wouldn't even consider each other friends; the only other person who knows about this is Addison," she stopped talking but another thought struck her soon after, "Oh my God, are you homophobic?"

She could hear the playful teasing in Arizona's voice, "If I was do you think I'd be sitting here talking to you right now?"

Callie shook her head, "You're right. So why are you here?"

"Because I wanted to come and see how you were doing," the darkness concealed the smirk she gave at Arizona's use of her own words from earlier.

"Oh," she said. "How's he doing?" Callie asked, the smirk leaving her face.

Arizona's voice fell just as Callie's expression did, "He hasn't gotten any better and he hasn't gotten any worse." Callie nodded but said nothing. She changed the subject, "How was practice?"

"It was alright, I guess. Bailey had to fill in for Christian so we weren't completely high and dry."

"I thought that with what happened you guys would be put under a lot of pressure but it looks like Professor Bailey had got it covered."

"Yeah, she always does."

A few more minutes of silence passed between the two until Arizona sighed, "You weren't gonna tell me, were you?"

"No. It was my secret and then I told Addison but that was as far as I was going to go."

"Then what made you tell me?"

"Because you kept saying that I hated you when I didn't. It just hurt…every single time you said it, especially knowing that it was far from the truth."

"I'm sorry…for saying it. I just really thought that you did, even when Mark was trying to convince me otherwise."

Callie was keeping up a conversation with the blonde but there was one question that was burning at the back of her mind, but she could not bring herself to ask Arizona why she had said nothing. "I'm sorry for being a bitch."

Arizona laughed and Callie smiled, "Yeah, you were really good at that."

Callie got serious again, "You didn't say anything after I told you that I liked you."

"What was there to say?"

"Um, if that's acceptable or not?"

Arizona was silent as though she were contemplating the answer. What she said after caught Callie off guard, "Since when? Have you liked me, I mean?"

"Since that day you were late for Burke's class. You didn't answer my question."

Arizona ignored the latter half of what Callie said, "That was the beginning of last semester."

"I know. Aren't you going to answer me?"

Arizona shrugged, "What was the question?"

Callie rolled her eyes at the darkness, "What do you think about what I told you earlier?"

"What exactly did you tell me earlier?" the blonde's voice took on a playful tone and Callie could not help but smile.

"If you don't remember then too bad, Robbins," Callie said joining in Arizona's game. In her mind she could see the pout forming on Arizona's lips.

The woman whined, "Seriously Callie!"

"Yeah." Callie said shrugging. A smirk grew on her lips, "But…if you really have forgotten I think I can tell you again."

"Thank you."

"I told you that I really like you…and I have for a while. So, I wanted to know, what do you think about that?"

Arizona was quiet for a while and Callie hated that they were sitting in the dark because she could not read Arizona's face. Arizona remained quiet for a few more moments and Callie began regretting telling the blonde anything. When she spoke Callie was stunned, "That's the best thing I've heard in a really long time."

"What?" Callie almost shouted. "What?" she said softer.

"It's super to know that. Super," the blonde said with a little pep.

"So…you're saying?" Callie was still a bit surprised. Did she just hear correctly or was she misconceiving what Arizona had just said.

The woman sighed dramatically, "I'm saying that I really like you too, Callie."

"Really?" the shock was back; she did hear correctly.

"Yes," Arizona was out of dramatic mode and her voice came over to Callie soft and shy.

Callie did not stop to think. She blurted, "Since?"

"Since that day you almost knocked me out with a softball…and your smile," Arizona was still being shy.

Callie blushed, "Sorry about that again."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Callie." The Latina's blush deepened and she was grateful for the darkness that covered them.

Arizona's phone rang signaling a text message and Callie used the little light it provided to get a look at the woman's face. She was beautiful. Stunning. But Callie knew that already; she saw Arizona's face in her dreams every night…whether she wanted to or not. She knew the contour of her cheeks, she knew the shape of her lips when she smiled or pouted, she knew about her dimples and how cute and sexy they were and she knew the way her eyes sparkled when she was excited and dulled when she was sad or upset.

But looking at Arizona now, she realized that knowing was not enough.

She wanted to feel her, to taste her…she wanted her and all of her. She wanted to feel Arizona's cheeks against her hands, she wanted to feel those beautiful pink lips against hers, she wanted to be the reason for the smile that caused those dimples to appear and for those amazing cerulean eyes to sparkle. She wanted to be the one to kiss away the pout that was on Arizona's lips…wait, pout?

Callie leaned forward slightly, "Everything okay?"

It was a few seconds before Arizona nodded in response, "Yeah. It's just Teddy. She took up her mailbox keep thinking it was the room key and now she's locked out."

Callie stifled a laugh, "Oh. You wanna go then?"

The blonde sighed, "I really don't have any other choice now do I?" Callie did not answer but waited for Arizona to get up.

The two walked out of the theater hall into a dark and wet Seattle night, it was not raining heavily, just a light drizzle.

"You're in Vernoff, right?" Callie asked.

"Yeah." After that small exchange the two walked in silence for a while.

Callie was waging an internal battle. She really wanted to ask Arizona out on a date but she did not want to. If this were anyone else she would have jumped in head first but Arizona Robbins was not anyone else. She made Callie think…most times yet she made her want to forget about everything else, everyone else and just do or say or simply want. She knew what jumping in with Arizona would mean. She would be setting herself up to be hurt again in much the same way that Erica George and those boyfriends she had in high school had hurt her. Callie glanced at the woman walking on her right. Arizona Robbins was definitely not anyone else...she was not Erica Hahn or George O'Malley or those guys whose names she could not remember. She was different, special but still Callie could not find it within herself to ask Arizona the simple question.

They walked into the light that the lamp in front of Vernoff Hall provided and Arizona stopped. She turned to Callie, "Thanks for walking me back, Callie."

Callie smiled at her, "Any time."

Arizona returned the smile with a nod, swiped her card and walked into the residence hall. Allie stood and watched her until she was out of sight, much like Christian did for her what seemed like ages ago. The blonde turned her head and looked out the glass doors at the Latina watching her and Callie's smile grew even wider. Arizona gave waved at her and Callie returned it before the blonde ascended the stairs to the second floor. When she was completely out of sight Callie turned around and walked to her dorm with a huge grin plastered on her face.

Arizona was definitely something special and Callie was bound to make the blonde her special someone.

**Thanks to everyone for reading, feel free to go ahead and review (seeing reviews from you guys makes my day so much better). **

**Now go forth and review my wonderful readers.**

**Thanks.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**Hi everyone! My first course is finally over and I got saddled with a much easier one so that means more frequent updates for you guys *woohoo*! So for this chapter, it honestly was not supposed to turn out this way but this came out and I kinda like where it went so I stuck with it.**

**Enjoy! **

Arizona was sitting at the computer in the library trying to do research but that was not happening and she was quickly getting frustrated. She had been trying to connect to the university's wireless system but the dinosaur of a computer sitting in front of her was being a real bitch. The only reason she did not have her laptop or iPad was because she was coming from class and Vernoff was on the other side of campus, more than five minutes away, and frankly she was too lazy to walk the distance. The thing in front of her started running a random program, slowing down the processes she had already opened. The glare she was giving the computer could kill a human…or a really large animal for that matter.

"What did the computer do to you?" a voice said from beside her.

Her glare softened and was replaced by a smile, "Callie, hey." She was positive she was grinning like a fool, "I've been trying to connect to the internet for the last century but this thing won't allow me to."

"The last century, huh? You don't look that old," Arizona joined Callie in laughing. The Latina slipped her backpack from her shoulder and placed it on the chair beside the blonde. "Let me have a look at that," she leaned over Arizona's shoulder and placed her hand on the mouse. Their fingers grazed each other's and Arizona could have sworn she saw Callie smirk. For a few minutes Callie said nothing while she opened and closed windows and typed in numbers and letters that seemed random and meaningless to the blonde.

Maybe they really were not random and meaningless but that did not matter to Arizona at that moment because Callie Torres was leaning over her shoulder and everything about the Latina was invading her senses. Her perfume smelled like lavender and to Arizona that was now the most amazing scent in the world. Arizona watched Callie's face as she scrunched her brows in concentration. In this moment the woman was the epitome of cute and sexy. She smiled when she realized that Callie's plump lips were parted just slightly as she focused on the screen in front of her. Oh the things that sight did to the blonde.

"You're staring, Marine," Callie said pulling Arizona from her thoughts.

"Sorry," she blushed and looked at the screen.

Callie turned her head slightly to look at the other woman a smirk playing on her lips once more, "I never said that you should stop."

Arizona smirked as well, joining in Callie's game, "Well then, can you blame me for staring?"

"I guess not. I AM hot," Callie said with a wink.

Arizona scoffed and rolled her eyes, "You're not that hot."

"Oh really," the two were face to face and looking into each other's eyes.

Arizona broke the eye contact and glanced down at the same lips that caused heat and passion to swell inside her just moments before. She returned her gaze to Callie's eyes and inched closer towards the Latina's lips. A hair's breadth of space was left between their lips and two pairs of eyes fluttered closed before suddenly opening because of a beep that came from the machine sitting on the desk. They pulled away from each other blushing.

"Uh, there you go," Callie said looking at the monitor and avoiding eye contact with Arizona.

"Yeah, uh…t-thanks," Arizona replied shyly.

Callie sat at the computer beside Arizona's and turned it on. For almost an hour they sat in silence doing research for their papers. For almost an hour Arizona's body was humming because of the kiss that almost was. She glanced over at Callie and saw her writing intensely in her notebook. Since Callie had told her in that elevator that she liked her she had wanted to hold the Latina and kiss her. For three days she wanted to kiss Callie Torres and she finally got her chance but the stupid computer just had to start working at that time.

In all honestly Arizona did not want to just kiss Callie; she wanted something else, something more. She wanted to be the one to make the other woman happy, she wanted to be the first thing on Callie's mind every morning and the last every night, she wanted to be able to hold her and kiss her whenever she pleased. She simply wanted Callie Torres. So she did something that she had wanted to do every time she saw Callie in the last three days. She took out her phone and sent a message.

She watched as Callie absentmindedly took up her phone. The woman smiled when she saw what was on the screen and started typing. Arizona was forced to smile a few seconds later when her phone vibrated and she read the reply on the screen.

Leaving the library someone grabbed on to her arm and caused Arizona to stop in midstride.

"What kind of Marine is a wuss?" Callie asked, smiling down perfectly at Arizona.

The blonde smiled, "Me."

Callie laughed but when she spoke again she was blushing, "I know that I already said yes but I wanted to hear you ask." The two started walking to Pierce Hall.

There was a playful lilt in Arizona's voice when she spoke, "Someone's a bit bossy."

"I am not bossy," Callie gave Arizona a light shove. She shrugged, "I just want to hear it coming from you, not over the phone."

They walked a few more steps before Arizona stopped and turned to face Callie, "Will you do me the honor of going on a date?"

Callie was smiling that beautiful smile that the blonde loved, "Only if you promise to go out with me after."

"Definitely," Arizona gave her a dimpled smile.

The two walked into Pierce Hall together and someone immediately shouted Callie's name. A few seconds later Owen Hunt was standing in front of them, "Hey Arizona. Callie, Bailey wants to meet with all of us at Leach in five minutes."

"Okay, thanks Owen. I'll be there after I collect my lunch," Callie said giving the ginger haired man a small smile.

He left and the two joined the queue to get a 'tortilla' and some vegetables, "And here I thought I was going to get to spend my lunch time with you."

Callie gave a small smile, "Uh, yeah. Sorry about that."

"Nah, it's all good. I'll just go find Teddy or Mark or someone," Callie nodded.

"Okay, I'll see you later then."

"Maybe. After class this evening I'm heading over to the hospital.

Callie looked slightly disappointed, "Okay. Tell him hi for me."

Arizona smiled, "Will do."

A few minutes later Arizona was sitting in front of her best friend.

"Hey, feels like I haven't seen you in ages," Teddy said as Arizona put her tray in front of her.

"What's up? I know; I've been with Mark working on this project," Arizona said as she picked up her fork and placed a carrot in her mouth.

"You're going to burn yourself out if you continue like this," the blonde's voice was filled with concern for her roommate and best friend.

"I know but we're almost half way through with testing our first hypothesis."

"Okay that's good. What's up with you and Torres?" Teddy said before biting into her slice of pizza.

Arizona swallowed her food, "What do you mean?"

"You two were being awfully chummy over there," Teddy said pointing her chin in the direction of the server.

"We were not!" Arizona shouted and two guys who were sitting at the table next to them looked at her.

"Uh, yes you were," Teddy said matter-of-factly.

"Okay, whatever. Because of the time I've been spending with Mark lately I've seen that she isn't so bad," Arizona shrugged. It was true, even if she did not have the world's largest crush on the woman her opinion of her would still have changed by seeing her around Mark and Addison.

"Uh huh. And you're making those 'Fuck me now' eyes at her why?" the taller blonde said smirking at her best friend.

"I did not!" Arizona almost shouted.

"You're not the one looking on, Robbins." The two best friends sat in silence for a while, Arizona's determination to not talk to Teddy for the next five minutes firmly in place. "Henry's going down to the Athletic Center tonight, wanna tag along and get in some early practice for next season?"

"Can't, I'm going to the hospital after class to check on Chris," she took a bite out of the tortilla on her plate.

"How is he?" Teddy asked with one brow raised.

Arizona nodded, "Better than the last time I saw him. They told me last night that they reported slight tactile response in his left hand."

"That's his dominant hand right?" Arizona nodded again. "That's great. He really may just pull through this."

For the next ten minutes Arizona was lost in her thoughts before Teddy threw a carrot at her head. The blonde looked up at the woman sitting across from her, "What was that for?"

Teddy shrugged, "What's going on in that big brain of yours?"

"Nothing. I'm just thinking," Arizona replied dryly.

"About?" the taller blonde asked waving her carrot in the air.

"Christian and stuff," the shorter of the two women shrugged hoping that Teddy would drop the subject.

Teddy spoke, obviously not getting the hint, "Okay I get the Christian but not the stuff, elaborate for me please."

"Just stuff, Teddy," Arizona's voice came over forcibly but still Teddy failed to drop the topic of discussion.

"I see and does 'stuff' have anything to do with someone I know?"

"Not well," she decided to give in and answer the other woman's questions.

"Okay what's up with you and Torres?" Teddy was blunt.

Arizona was pissed, "Why do you assume that this has something to do with Callie?"

Teddy counted off on her fingers, "One because you just called her Callie. Two, those eyes you were making at her in the line. Three, you keep looking at the stairs she went down like you're expecting someone…her."

Arizona was even more annoyed and slightly upset with her best friend, "Those mean absolutely nothing, Theodora."

Teddy held up her hands, "Fine. No need to get so defensive about it." Arizona sighed and opened her mouth to speak, "No it's fine. If you don't want to tell me then that's just fine by me."

"Teddy…" Arizona said looking at her closest friend, "She likes me and I almost kissed her."

The taller blonde put her fingers to her mouth to stop the apple juice she just drank from escaping, she swallowed, "Excuse me?"

Arizona sighed again and started playing with the food on her plate, she leaned forward and whispered, "The day that Chris ended up in the hospital she visited and we had an argument…kinda," Teddy nodded as she remembered that Arizona had told her this information already. "Well I chased after her and we ended up in an elevator alone and she told me that she liked me. I…I was shocked…I couldn't say anything so I restarted the elevator and allowed her to get off."

"Okay and about the kiss?" Teddy said whispering.

"We were in the library earlier and my computer was being shitty and she came along and fixed it. We were joking with each other and we ended up leaning in for a kiss but the computer decided to work at that time so it didn't happen," Arizona remembered the frustration she felt earlier.

"Oh. So she is gay?" mild shock was written all over Teddy's face.

"Yeah and she likes me, Teddy…Callie Torres likes me," Arizona said looking at the flight of stairs that Callie had disappeared down minutes ago.

Teddy grinned at the petite blonde in front of her, "Yes she does. So now that your pretty, pink bubble has been burst are you ready to go get your girl?"

Arizona smiled as widely as Teddy was, "Definitely am."

It was eleven thirty-five in the night and Arizona had just opened her room door to find the dorm empty. She threw her bag on her bed and checked her phone just in case she missed any calls or messages from Teddy but there were none. There was however a message from Rockstar in her IM: 'Hey, I know you're at the hospital and all but can you send me a message when you get in?' Arizona smiled as she sat on her bad and did as Callie wished.

_The_Marine: Hey, just got in. Everything okay?_

_Rockstar: Yeah everything's fine, I just wanted to know when you got in and that you're okay._

A wider smile formed on Arizona's lips and she stretched out on her bed.

_The_Marine: That's sweet Callie. Thanks._

_Rockstar: You're welcome. How's Christian?_

_The_Marine: Not much better but they did get some tactile response from him yesterday so they're hopeful._

_Rockstar: Okay that's good._

_The_Marine: Yeah. _She paused for a moment wondering if she should bring up the thought that had been on her mind all day. She decided that there was nothing she could lose by staring that part of the conversation. _I'm just gonna bring up the metaphorical white elephant in the metaphorical room, the date, we didn't agree on a day or time or anything actually._

_Rockstar: I know, I was kinda hoping to get an answer from Bailey about set practice days and times but all she gave me was 24/7 basically._

_The_Marine: Oh, that's not good. If it's gonna be a problem I don't mind waiting until the competition is over._

Callie replied quickly after and she was determined.

_Rockstar: No. This is gonna happen._

_The_Marine: Okay, how about we just get something at that restaurant place on campus?_

_Rockstar: No, I was thinking off-campus…people can be really snoopy._

_The_Marine: Oh okay…we'll just find some time to fit it in with your schedule and all. I should tell you that I'm resuming racquetball practice this upcoming week._

_Rockstar: You play racquetball?_

_The_Marine: Yeah, I see someone was never at any matches._

_Rockstar: I didn't even know that we played racquetball._

_The_Marine: Seriously, Callie!_

_Rockstar: Hey, it's not my fault that I'm not inclined to sports._

_The_Marine: Then whose is it?_

_Rockstar: My parents…the only thing I've competed in other than Bellum Voces is competitive dancing._

_The_Marine: You dance?_

_Rockstar: Danced. I was forced to growing up…I hated it._

_The_Marine: Oh poor Callie *sarcastic*_

_Rockstar: Is it sad that I heard you saying that in my head? And yes poor me._

Arizona laughed at Callie's response.

_The_Marine: *shrugs* Nope. Dancing is not hard…or punishment or whatever it was for you._

_Rockstar: Growing up like I did and wanting to sit by myself and sing when every other girl was doing ballet was not something that my parents liked and so yes it was punishment._

_The_Marine: *rolls eyes* Okay. What do you mean growing up how you did?_

_Rockstar: I'll tell you when we have that date._

A smirk formed on the blonde's lips before she sighed and replied.

_The_Marine: Well then our schedules need to be clear really soon._

_Rockstar: Yeah they really do. I can't believe how much of a bitch I was to you…I'm sorry._

_The_Marine: You can stop apologizing for that now, Callie. What I don't get though is why you felt like you needed to be like that._

_Rockstar: *sigh* I was worried about what people would say if anyone figured out that I liked you so I treated you like crap so no one would even think that I liked you…and it was a way for me to try getting over you._

She found Callie's comment interesting and could not help but want to know more and understand why that was the Latina's decision.

_The_Marine: Oh…getting over me?_

_Rockstar: Yeah, the last time I was in a relationship like this it ended badly and I told myself that it was the first and last time that I'd be with another woman._

_The_Marine: Oh. So your ex-girlfriend was your first girlfriend?_

_Rockstar: Yeah. But that's been done for ages now._

_The_Marine: I see. Well Teddy's back so I'm gonna turn in now. Goodnight Callie._

_Rockstar: Okay, goodnight Arizona. Sleep well._

_The_Marine: Thanks and you too._

Arizona threw her phone to the other end of the bed and looked around at the empty room before grabbing her phone again to ask Teddy if she was coming in tonight. Teddy replied soon after with a yes but said that she would be really late. Arizona changed her clothes and crawled under her sheets.

She knew it was too good to be true…Callie was too good to be true. She was a newborn and Arizona did not, under any circumstances, date newborns. She dated newborns twice and they were the worst relationships of her life. The girls were too many emotional moments, more so than normal in a lesbian relationship…all the crying and wanting to be the perfect lesbian and wanting the perfect relationship was not something that Arizona was looking forward to and because of that she lied to the woman she had been crushing on. Great. She punched her pillow and sighed as she put her head down. It was time to get over Callie…only because the Latina was a newborn. Newborns reminded her of the freshmen she had to tutor and advise in her senior year of college. They knew nothing and that became easily frustrating and the incessant doubting was very annoying.

Arizona tried to list all the reasons why dating Callie would be a bad idea but the only thing she could come up with was that the other woman was a newborn and she hated dating newborns. The problem was that Mark was right, even with the small amount of time she had spent with Callie she knew the woman was special and worth it but she still could not get over the newborn thing. She laughed to herself; if Teddy was there she would have shouted at her and knocked some sense into her but Teddy was not there and her mind was left to its own devices.

She fell asleep frustrated and angry with the entire world and fate; the glimmer of hope that she had felt, that she had experienced three days ago in that elevator was now gone.

**Thanks to everyone for reading, feel free to go ahead and review (seeing reviews from you guys makes my day so much better). **

**Now go forth and review my wonderful readers.**

**Thanks.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**I wanted to say thanks to everyone who stuck with me and this story to ten chapters and beyond…y'all are amazing!**

**On another note, I had a bit of writer's block with this chapter but I worked past that and here it is, Chapter 11. **

**Enjoy! **

'What the hell just happened?' was all Callie could think as she made her way back to her dorm room. She entered her room and sat on her bed, looking at Addison, who was sitting on her own bed and watching the Latina, but not seeing her. The conversation continued replaying in her head and the taste of the lips that she had once been longing for still lingered on her own.

"What the hell just happened?" Callie whispered to herself.

"Callie, you okay?" the redhead asked closing the lid of her laptop.

"What the hell just happened?" the brunette repeated.

Addison was getting worried, "Callie talk to me."

She put her hands on Callie's shoulder and shook her slightly; it broke her out of her stupor. "She kissed me and..."

"Who kissed you? Arizona?" Addison asked.

Callie shook her head, "Erica."

Addison took a step back, "Hahn?" Callie nodded. "What happened, Callie?"

She looked into her best friend's eyes and actually saw her for the first time since walking into the room, "That's what I want to know."

_This Saturday had started like any normal Saturday for Callie. She woke up at seven, went to the Athletic Center to work out for two hours, came back to Rhimes and showered all before Addison even thought of waking up. At ten she headed out to breakfast with her friends before leaving them to go to practice at the theater hall. She spent the next six hours going through the songs for Bellum Voces and perfecting her duet with Owen. After practice she met her academic advisor, Professor Chang, for an hour to discuss her courses and her academic life at the University. She left Chang's office and went to the usual dinner that the choir had every other Saturday at a hole in the wall restaurant they had all come to love. It was a simple and normal day for her. The only thing she did that day which was not usually a part of her schedule was visit Christian in the hospital and that's when and where all hell broke loose because Callie's personal devil had reappeared._

_Callie peeked through the window beside the door of Christian's room and saw him lying on the bed, his eyes closed and tubes and wires running from his hands and arms to the machines standing guard beside his bed. She opened the door and entered the room quietly before closing the door and taking the lone seat at his bedside. She smiled softly at how peaceful he looked lying against the crisp white sheets. The only sounds that filled the room were his labored breathing and the steady rhythm of his heart monitor. When he had told her that he did not want a romantic relationship with her they had agreed to remain friends and it was through that light that she looked at him, sleeping calmly, unaware of everything that was going on in the world. She held on to his hand and gave a slight squeeze. She was never one to talk about her feelings or what she was going through but there was so much she wanted to tell Christian, to tell this stranger who had become her friend. She wanted him to know how happy she was, how in love she was, she wanted him to be happy with her. But he could not and because of that she squeezed his hand once more, letting him know that she was there until he pulled through. She used her free hand and pushed the dark hair that had grown out from his eyes; he looked more like himself without the rouge strands against his pale skin. His forehead was warm and Callie smiled, it was a marked difference from the first time she visited when the skin on his shoulder was nowhere close to normal body temperature. She moved her hand and the hair fell right above his closed eyes again. She leaned back into the chair, closed her eyes and took a deep breath._

_She opened her eyes, stared at his face and found it impossible to not tell him everything. So she did, "She likes me, Christian. Arizona likes me. I know, you probably already knew that but the thing is…I like her too and I can't help it." A smile spread across her face as she spoke to the man about her feelings for his cousin, "I always liked her, no one knew that and because I was afraid of what people would say and think about me I repressed it and treated her, the person I've been crushing on since what feels like forever, like shit. But we got into a very heated discussion the other day and I told her, in that elevator down the hall. She didn't say anything until that night though when she found me in Rosse Hall. I never thought Arizona was gay although that really does explain why she turned Mark down. But anyways…she likes me Christian." Callie was giddy with excitement at the thought that Arizona Robbins, the most amazing person (besides herself) that she knew. "I almost kissed her a few days ago but it didn't happen and we decided to a date some time when practice isn't so hectic." Her smile faltered and she sighed. "Practice isn't the same without you. Bailey doesn't play show tunes during breaks and there's no one to share my lunch with on Saturdays so I always have four hot wings left and no one to eat them. You need to wake up, Christian; even if you're not back at practice or even on campus you need to wake up. Despite everything that's happened Arizona hasn't been the same since you've been here, she's not as bright and perky as before so her sake wake up, okay?" Callie squeezed his hand gently. She sat and just looked at him for about two minutes until vibrations from her pocket drew her out of her thoughts. She stood, checked the caller ID and saw Aria's name on the screen. She gave Christian's shoulder a squeeze and left the room._

"_Hey, what's up?" Callie said closing the door behind her._

"_Hey Cal. I just called your dorm room and Addison told me that you're at the hospital, is everything okay?" Aria asked and Callie could hear the distinct concern in her sister's voice._

"_Yeah, I'm fine; I was visiting a friend," Callie responded walking down the hall and towards the stairs that led to the first floor._

"_Oh, alright. So, I was talking to Mama and Daddy today and your competition came up. They wanted to know the date so we could see your big duet," Aria's voice had become cheery._

"_It's April 26," she walked down the stairs and walked across the lobby towards the doors. "You guys don't have to be there, you know."_

"_You don't want us there? You scared, Carmelita?" Aria chuckled._

"_Stop calling me that," Callie whined; she hated the nickname that her sister had given her as a child. She sat on the bench outside the hospital doors, "I didn't know you guys were interested in coming."_

"_Stop lying. Daddy has been to every one of your performances," Aria said with just a little sass._

"_Well yeah, I expected Daddy to want to be there but you said we which means you and Mama are coming too, and the two of you have never been to any of my performances," Callie said watching people walk in and out of the hospital doors._

"_Well we decided that we wanted to come to this one," Aria said matter-of-factly._

_Callie rolled her eyes, "Fine. How's life?"_

"_Ah, it's good. I got three days off from work so I decided to spend it with the old people," Aria said before shouting to their mother telling her that their father was calling her._

"_Oh that's nice. At least all that sass that you had growing up came into good use," Callie said referencing the attitude that Aria had as a child and her current job as a lawyer at one of the most prominent law firms in Boston._

"_I did not have sass," Aria countered hotly._

"_Sure, Aria. So how's…what's his face? Steve?" Callie asked._

"_Stephen," her sister corrected. "He's good. He flew to LA for a conference yesterday and he won't be back until Thursday but I'll survive."_

"_Uh huh, I bet you will," Callie said sarcastically, waving to a nurse whose younger brother was in the University's choir._

"_Whatever, Carmelita. So, you found anyone yet?" Callie rolled her eyes; the question was inevitable, somehow their conversations always went to Callie's love life, no matter what they were talking about._

"_Yeah. I think so…it's still in the flirting stage but…yeah there's someone," Callie said with a shy smile._

"_Cute?" that was always the next question if Callie had said yes._

"_Very!" she blushed when a few people who were passing turned to look at her._

"_Oh, you sound excited. Is it Mark?" Callie could have sworn that she heard Aria wrong._

"_Mark? Eww, no," Callie was sure that the face she was making could scare a child._

"_I thought the two of you were having a thing after college," Aria said._

"_No. We were just sleeping together, nothing more," Callie said still repulsed by the idea of being with Mark Sloan._

_Aria laughed, "That's not something I expected from you, Carmelita."_

_Callie laughed as well, "Carmelita grew up, Aria." She heard her name being called and looked in the direction of the hospital entrance and made out the silhouette of the one person she never wanted to see again. "Aria…can I call you later?"_

"_Yeah sure," her sister answered. "Talk to you later. Love you."_

"_Love you too," Callie replied still in shock from seeing the person now standing in front of her. She hung up and looked up at the person, "What are you doing here?"_

_Steely blue eyes looked down at her, "Hello to you too, Callie."_

"_What are you doing here?" Callie repeated, her anger suddenly gone._

_The woman sighed and shifted her weight from one foot to the other, "My mom's sick. She got admitted last week so I took this weekend to leave Maryland and visit her."_

"_Oh. What does she have?" Callie had liked her mother, she was actually a really nice lady._

"_Lung cancer because of second hand smoke from my step-dad," her blue eyes looked away from Callie's. The Latina felt sorry for Mrs. Jameson but not Erica. There was no way she was ever going to feel sorry for Erica Hahn. Erica looked at her again, "Can I sit?" Callie looked at the empty space beside her before looking at Erica and giving a small nod._

"_How long has she been sick?" Callie asked._

"_They detected it last summer but at that time she was stage three…now she's stage four and it's only a matter of months before she's gone," Callie noticed how Erica's voice had taken on the same detached tone it always had when they were arguing or when she was frustrated._

_Callie looked at Erica's face, "I'm sorry."_

"_Yeah me too," she sighed and ran her hand over her face. She chuckled, "Sometimes I think it's karma, you know?" Callie shook her head to signal no. Erica turned to look at her, "Come on. I break up with you in what was probably one of the worst ways possible and a month later my mother gets diagnosed with cancer, three months later my step-father leaves her and less than a year later her doctors are telling me that she could be dead by the end of June." Callie did not know why she did it, after all she still hated the woman but despite that she reached across the small space that separated them and placed her hand on Erica's. The blonde looked down at the caramel colored hand on hers and a small smile graced her face. She looked at the woman sitting beside her, "I'm sorry, Callie."_

"_It's fine. I wanted to know," Callie said._

_Erica shook her head, "Not for telling you…for last summer."_

_As soon as the words left Erica's mouth Callie drew her hand away. Erica was not just going to waltz back into her life and ruin it. Not after everything she had been through. Not after she had convinced herself that she did not need Erica. Not after she had exorcised the woman from her life. "Excuse me?"_

"_I got to Maryland and I thought I was alright. I put myself into my courses and research but I couldn't help missing you, loving you. I realized how stupid I was to leave Seattle over a stupid argument. I –"_

_Callie cut her off, her anger boiling under the surface, "You wanting to cut Addison and Mark from my life was not a 'stupid argument', Erica."_

"_I'm sorry, it wasn't. When I was in Baltimore I realized that I shouldn't have broken it off with you like I did…I shouldn't have broken it off with you at all. I should have stayed and worked on us like you wanted. I did come back to visit my mom but I was also hoping that I could get to see you and tell you that," when Erica finished talking she was no longer looking at Callie._

"_So you think telling me how sorry you are for everything that went down would change things?" Callie was upset and not hiding that from the blonde._

"_I was hoping that we could try again. Put ev –"_

_The Latina stopped her for the second time in five minutes, "No! No, you can't just come back and give me some freakin' sob story, expect me to be okay with that and welcome you back with open arms. No, Erica. No!" Her fist were clenched in her lap, "I worked hard for months trying to get over you…trying to fix myself after you broke me and guess what? I did. I fixed myself and I'm over you. I'm done with you. I –" It was Erica's turn to cut Callie off and she silenced the woman with a kiss. The blonde leaned over, placed her hand on Callie's cheek and planted her lips on Callie's effectively shutting her up and pulling her back to being in a state of shock._

"_Callie?"a voice said causing the woman to push the blonde away from her._

_She looked up and saw another blonde standing ten feet away from her, "Arizona…" 'What was she doing here' was all Callie could think, after three seconds she remembered that the blonde's cousin was lying in a bed one floor up. Arizona looked between Callie, Erica and the hospital doors only once before walking away briskly in the direction of the lobby. "Arizona, wait!" The blonde did not look back but walked faster. Callie broke out into a jog and grabbed Arizona's arm. "Wait. Let me explain." _

_The smaller woman pulled her arm free and spun around, "I don't want to hear anything from you, Callie." She was about to turn around but Callie held on to her shoulders, "Let me go."_

"_No!" was all Callie said. _

"_All you newborns are the same. You wanted to check if you really are attracted to girls so you go around kissing other women. I should have known that you really weren't worth it," Arizona said looking straight into Callie's eyes._

_This caused the Latina to drop her hands from Arizona's shoulders and take a step back, she spoke and her voice was small, "What do you mean you should have known that I wasn't worth it?"_

"_Callie…" Erica was behind her calling her name._

_She spun around full of anger towards the blonde she disliked, "Stay out of this, Erica!" She turned around to Arizona again, "What do you mean by that?"_

"_Nothing," the blonde turned away again but Callie moved to stand between her and the door. "Get out the way, Callie. I need to go see Christian." By the lights from inside the building Callie could see the tears in the blonde's eyes._

"_Arizona. She kissed me. I never asked for it…I didn't want it. I'm done with her. I only want one blonde and that's you. I came out to four people, if you count Christian and me, for you…not her," she pointed over Arizona's shoulder to where Erica was standing watching the two._

_Arizona shook her head, "I need to go see my cousin." Callie dropped her head and stepped aside allowing Arizona access to the building. She turned around and watched the blonde that she was in love with walk away from her._

_Erica came up behind her, "She's the rebound?"_

_Callie closed her eyes and fought the voice that was telling her to punch Erica in the nose. "Go back to Maryland and leave me the hell alone."_

_After that Callie was moving about in a trance when she was broken from it she found herself in her dorm room with Addison standing over her shaking her gently._

"Erica Hahn kissed me and ruined everything."

**Thanks for reading! You know what to do and if you don't I'll tell you…just leave a comment and make me happy.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**Okay so I got some really good (and frustrated) reviews for the last chapter…that was great! So I finished pre-writing this when I woke up this morning and typed it right after (with a few breaks of course). So here it is guys, Chapter 12 of MyMarine.**

**Enjoy! **

It was Monday morning and Arizona was sitting in Biochem class. She was eager for Burke to finish his lecture because she needed to get away from the eyes that had been trained on the back of her head since class started. She knew why she was being watched, she had been MIA for all of Sunday. She had not answered any calls or IM's and the only person who knew where she was had been sworn to secrecy. After Saturday night she had to get away and the only place she could go was home, so that's where she went. Her parents were overseas with her uncle and so the house was empty. That day she stayed in, cleaned the house from top to bottom (not that it needed to be cleaned) and ignored the IM's from Rockstar and the numerous phone calls from said person and Mark Sloan. Despite trying to ignore the source of the problem, the image of that woman kissing Callie was burned into her mind, there was no way to get rid of it and despite the betrayal that she felt, the most prominent emotion that went through her was anger, but it was directed at neither Callie nor the blonde bimbo but at herself. It was only a few nights before that she had told herself that having anything that was more than a friendship with Callie was a bad idea but what happened, what she saw Saturday night made her jealous and peeved at Callie for allowing that to happen. Persons who were not interested in someone did not get jealous and upset by that someone's actions. It was there that she realized that no matter what she told herself to help her get over Callie would not work because there definitely was something different about her. She was not like the other newborns that Arizona had known, not like the ones Arizona had accused her of being. Even with this revelation, she woke up Monday morning dreading going to Biochem class and so she moved through her morning sluggishly to ensure that she arrived at her seat just seconds before Burke walked in.

Arizona looked at her watch and willed the last five minutes to pass so she could escape Callie and her chocolate brown eyes. Burke's deep voice droned on as he gave the class their reading assignment and told them what he expected them to take away from the reading. When he finished speaking, the moment Arizona had been waiting for had since class started had finally arrived.

Burke placed his papers in his briefcase and locked it, "Alright I'll see you all on Thursday."  
>There was a cacophony of bags being zipped, papers being ruffled and the occasional creaking of a seat as someone got up. Arizona was one of the first persons to get up and when she turned around she avoided the gaze of the soft brown eyes that were pleading with her. She grabbed Teddy's hand and pulled her towards the door. The taller blonde furrowed her brows at her best friend before looking towards the back of the room and finding Callie's eyes on them…on Arizona actually.<p>

When they had left the lecture hall and they were walking across the Quad Teddy spoke, "She's really sorry, you know."

"Excuse me?" Arizona asked looking up at the woman walking beside her.

"Callie. I was talking to her –" Teddy began only to be cut off by the other blonde.

"Oh so you two are friends now. Peachy," Arizona said, walking faster to get away from her roommate.

"Arizona, don't be like that!" Teddy ran after her and spoke when she caught up to her again. "She really likes you. You should give her a chance and let her explain."

Arizona turned to glare at the other woman, "This is none of your business, Teddy."

"No, but you are my business. You're my roommate, you're my best friend, and you're my sister, Arizona. You are my business and right now you're screwing with your life because that girl really and truly likes you; she's deeply sorry that she hurt you and she wants to make it right but you're not answering your phone, hiding away for the weekend and just completely ignoring her."

Arizona's cold, blue eyes looked at her, "Stay out of this, Theodora."

"No." She continued walking beside Arizona, "This is more than the kiss isn't it?" the shorter woman was staring daggers into her but Teddy did not care, "Because Morgan cheated on you last year and you took her back. It had to happen again before you allowed me to force you to let her go. A girl kissed Callie and you're up and ready to let her slip away."

"Don't bring Morgan into this," Arizona said turning on her best friend. "Don't you dare compare Callie to her!"

The two had stopped walking by now, "Then what is it, Arizona?"

She looked around and dropped her bag under the shade of a tree, falling to sit beside it seconds later. Teddy followed her lead and Arizona looked around them again. She leaned in despite no one being around, "Callie's a newborn and I don't date newborns."

Teddy looked at her pointedly, "Seriously Arizona?"

"Yes seriously. They're too…uncertain, all they want to do is experiment and I'm not up for that now or ever again. I've had my fair share of newborns and hell's gonna freeze over before I find myself with another one."

Teddy shook her head, "I should have known that it was a stupid reason."

"It's not stupid, Theodora. I've been gay since forever. I was a little gay fetus and I don't have time to babysit and nurture a newborn lesbian," Arizona said plucking at the grass around her backpack.

"Okay, you're right it's not a stupid reason but come on Arizona, give the girl a chance. Since I've known you you've been in four relationships and none of them have been as into you and concerned about what you think and feel as Callie has been and you two haven't even been on a date yet," Teddy said, watching Arizona take interest in the grass around them.

"All of that's great and all Teddy but I can't date her. I've set boundaries for myself and I'm not gonna change them for Callie."

Teddy shrugged, "It's your call, do what you want but I'm telling you this as your best friend, you're making a huge mistake, Arizona." She continued plucking at the grass as Teddy spoke, stood and left her alone.

Her phone rang a minute and a half after Teddy left, it was her mother.

"Hey Mom, what's up?" she abandoned the green stalks growing around her in favor of lying on the grass.

"'Zona, baby. How are you?" Barbara Robbins' voice came through the device, her Bostonian accent thick.

"I'm good, Momma; I just got out of class. How was your trip?"

"It was great! We had so much fun and your dad got a tan, your uncle caught the biggest fish I have ever seen and I have so many pictures to show you, darling," Barbra gushed.

"That does sound great," Arizona responded.

"Yeah. How's Christian? Has he gotten better?" Barbara asked, concern for her nephew sounding in her voice.

"Not much. His doctors are still saying that there's a chance that he won't wake up but they're still holding on," Arizona said as she closed her eyes and saw the image of her cousin lying on the hospital bed.

"Oh dear. We were planning to go to the hospital today, do you want to meet us there?" Barbara asked her daughter.

"Sorry, I can't meet you, Momma. I have this research project to work on and I visited Chris yesterday."

"Oh okay, darling. Here's your father, he wants to say hi." The phone was passed from the matriarch to The Colonel and his deep voice boomed through the earpiece.

"Arizona, honey, how are you?" When she was a child Arizona was never close to her father. With him being the authoritative figure that he was, she was more afraid of him. But with Tim's death they had come together as a family to support and comfort each other. Daniel Robbins had become protective of his daughter. He had outright told her no when she suggested ending her education to join the Marines like the Robbins before her. Her mother told her how her father was unable to sleep for days after she had told him because he had nightmares of his only living child being blown to bits in a desert somewhere.

"I'm good, Dad. I'm just really tired from all the work and other stuff that's been happening,"

Daniel's voice was concerned, "You need to get more sleep, sweetheart. Even Marines have to shut down sometimes."

"I know, Dad. I will soon, I promise."

"Okay, honey. Arizona, were you here while we were gone?"

"Yes, I was there yesterday, why?" she asked sitting up.

"Because the picture of Timothy that was on my desk is in your room," the Colonel explained.

"Oh yeah. I just wanted to get off campus yesterday so I went home and when I was going to sleep last night I wanted someone to watch over me because you weren't there."

"Oh, it's okay sweetie," Daniel said softly to his child. "I think I heard your mom telling you that we're going to be visiting Christian today right?"

She retook her position and looked up at the leaves of the tree, "Yeah she did but I can't come tonight because I have to meet with my partner and get some work done on our research project."

"Okay, honey. I hope we'll get to see you soon."

"You will, Dad. I'm thinking about coming home sometime during this week and maybe spending a night."

That would be great; your mom really misses you," the man said.

Arizona smirked, "I miss you too, Dad." Daniel laughed along with his daughter.

"Well I'm going to leave you now. Get some sleep, honey."

"I will. Tell Uncle hi for me please."

"Will do. Love you," there was another shout of 'love you' in the background.

"I love both of you too." With that the call ended and Arizona was left looking at patches of dark green against a sky blue background.

A few hours later, at two thirty, Arizona met with Mark over a late lunch and to her pleasure the conversation was mostly on Biochemistry and their research but of course it could not stay that way forever.

Mark bit into his shiny red apple, "What's up with you and Torres?"

"Can you please keep focused, Mark," Arizona said, skipping her page with way more force than necessary.

"I am focused but she's my best friend, you're my friend and neither of you have been the same since Saturday night," Mark said placing his half eaten apple in front of him and leaning forward to rest his weight on his arms that were folded on the table.

"She's your best friend so talk to her about it. We," she gestured between herself and him, "are research partners so we talk about our research and not my personal life, got it?" she glared at him.

He spoke again and Arizona rolled her eyes, "You asked me a while back if I was going to tell you not to hurt her or I'll hurt you and I said no but I'm going to tell you now. If you ever hurt her, it will not be pretty for you. She likes you, she really likes you and yes, Callie falls in love easily but you're special to her Robbins, but if you break her like those two bastards before you did…you will not like me." Arizona could do nothing but watch as he collected his books and apple and left the table, discarding his fruit on his way out of the dining hall.

She had believed that she had two friends but they had both refused to take her side, Mark was understandable, Teddy not so much. She knew they both wanted what was best for her and it seemed as though they thought Callie was best. But despite what they thought, she could not find it within herself to think the same. Yes, she was still attracted to the other woman but that did not matter because Callie was a newborn and she was being kissed by another blue-eyed blonde.

Arizona took up her backpack and books and left for her second class of the day. Although Arizona, and almost every other student, disliked Professor Stark, she had to admit that his course was one of the most interesting that she had taken. An hour and a half later she left the lecture hall and headed to her dorm. As she expected Teddy was not around even though she usually was at that time. Arizona threw her bag on her bed and changed into her workout gear. She grabbed her racquet, her balls, her glasses and gloves along with her iPod and its dock.

Fifteen minutes later she was at the Athletic Center and for the next hour she channeled all her anger, hurt and frustration into hitting the little red ball against the clear walls. She stopped when she noticed someone watching her from behind. She stopped the ball and turned to face her visitor. Blue eyes rolled in their sockets when Arizona saw who it was.

"You're really good at this," the woman said opening the clear door to enter the court.

"That's why I play on the team," Arizona responded, wiping away the sweat that was on her face and arms.

"Oh. We have a team?" she asked.

"Have you ever been on this side of campus before today, Addison?" Arizona asked and her tone was snarky.

The redhead scoffed, "Yes. I've just never been to the lower level before."

"And I'm guessing that you don't keep up with sports news around the campus either, do you?" Addison shook her head and Arizona rolled her eyes again. "I know why you're here and I don't want to hear about how I'm fucking with my life by what I'm doing," okay so maybe not all of her anger was directed towards the ball that was sitting on her racquet. Addison nodded understandingly and Arizona continued, "Who sent you here anyways?" She took a sip of water from her bottle.

"Callie, Mark and Teddy," Addison answered, taking a seat beside the pink iPod sitting on the dock paying rock music around the court.

"Oh great," Arizona said sarcastically. "They couldn't do it so they send you to get the job done. Don't waste your time, Addison."

Addison looked at her, I spoke to all of them before I came here; I know about Erica kissing Cal, I know about the 'newborn' thing and I know that Mark threatened you earlier so I won't go into any of that. I'll just say what I need to say and leave."

After a minute of contemplation Arizona sat in front of Addison and turned down the volume on her iPod, "Give me your best shot."

"Okay. I'm gonna start with the Erica thing," Arizona's jaw clenched but she nodded, "It might touch on the newborn thing just a bit but bear with me, okay?" she nodded again. Addison took a breath, "Honestly, I didn't know that Cal and Hahn had a thing going on in college but now that I know that everything makes sense. That summer she left on, what I thought was a whim, to go to Botswana to help in the Peace Corps."

Before Addison could say anything else Arizona cut her off, "Callie was in the Peace Corps?"

Addison nodded and continued, "I spoke to her when I could and she sounded happy but I knew there was something else, I just couldn't place it. Anyways, she came back the week before we started school here and it was like she was a whole other person. I've known Callie since she was six, that's seventeen years and never have I seen her as broken as she was that week. I just thought that it was because of something that had happened in Africa; now I know that it's because she had to come home to a place where she had planned to be with her girlfriend and had realized that it really was not going to happen. She tried for months to get over whatever it was and when that didn't work she started screwing Mark," Arizona's eyes closed for a few seconds and her hands formed tight fists. "That went on for a while until Mark held some kind of one man intervention and she began the process of fixing herself. What I'm saying is that I watched her singlehandedly put herself back together after that bitch ripped her into a million pieces and left her." Addison paused for a while before continuing, "Cal's strong, she doesn't need our help but the fact that she came to us about you means something, Arizona. You mean something to her. Hell she came out because of you. If that doesn't mean that you're special to her then I don't know what does," Addison said looking into blue eyes. "That kiss that you saw Saturday was not Callie's fault. She's done with Erica; she only wants you and knowing that I know that Callie would never, ever kiss Erica willingly. You have to believe her when she tells you that. When it comes to love Callie doesn't play. If she likes you then she likes you no matter what but what I've seen her show to you is more than a simple attraction, Arizona, she wants you and all she wants is for you to feel the same."

Arizona hung her head to avoid Addison's gaze, "I do but it's so hard doing that with all the hurt and pain I've been through with relationships like this."

The redhead leaned forward and placed a hand on Arizona's arm, "I'm not going to tell you that Callie won't hurt you but I can promise you that she will never hurt you intentionally. She adores you and I think that what happened Saturday night has hurt her more than you think." Addison let her hand fall and leaned back against the clear wall. "Yes Callie is new to this whole lesbian thing but being a newcomer has never stopped her before. The Peace Corps thing, I believe that that was the first time any Torres I know has ever physically gone somewhere and helped out. I mean they do send money, and lots of it, to places and organizations in need but Callie was the first to send herself and she still sends money every six months to the orphanage that she helped build…Aria definitely didn't do that."

"Excuse me?" Arizona asked.

"Ignore that last part about Aria," Addison said with a wave of her hand.

"Okay, but you said that Callie is from money?" Arizona asked furrowing her brows.

"Yeah, you didn't know?" Addison asked tilting her head to the side.

Arizona shook her head, "We haven't gotten much opportunity to go into family details," she was being snarky again but Addison brushed it off.

"Okay well yeah, she is; her dad owns hotels here and in a couple other countries." She continued as though she had not just revealed a big part of Callie's life. "Did you know that she was the only freshman in our college's senior choir? The choir wasn't for upperclassmen only it's just that you have to really wow the choir masters and usually only upperclassmen do that but Callie did too at her first audition. She ended up playing a major part in them winning gold that year and the years after that," Addison smiled, she was proud of her best friend. "Oh and she said that I should tell you that she makes an excellent chicken piccata that you'd be missing out on if you don't change your mind and believe me, she isn't lying," the blanket of red behind her danced slightly as she nodded. "So…despite being a newbie I'm sure Callie can handle herself. She'll show you that not all newborns are the same. She's strong and honorable, she can handle her own. Don't tell her that I told you this, okay?" She continued when Arizona nodded, "When we were in high school one of our classmates had to get a few dozen stitches because he was taunting Cal. The kid, J. Homer Schoenfeld was a dick, he was prissy and uptight and someone should have done what Callie did to him earlier in his life. He was always calling Callie his muse and she ignored it until one day he took it too far and she snapped. She broke his nose and his jawbone; he cried like a bitch baby and Callie got off almost scot free because the principal had spoken to him about it before."

"Homer's muse? Cal…Calliope?" Arizona mused. "Callie's full name is Calliope?"

Addison nodded, "Don't call her by it or tell her that I told you, she hates it." Arizona nodded not really paying attention to what the woman in front of her was saying. "I just want you to realize that Callie thinks you're special and that you're worth it and she only wants you to feel the same way about her and stop with the 'she's a newborn' nonsense because that has never stopped her and it won't this time. She's not going to back down until you tell her to her face that you don't want her and I know you can't do that because you still do and she knows it too so get your act together and go out on that date that you asked her out on and if you find that she's like the others then tell her and leave her be, That's all I ask, okay?" Arizona nodded and Addison got up to leave. "By the way, you need to tighten your grip on so that your back-court backhand shot doesn't go flying all over the place. The shot needs a whole lot of control so tighten up," Arizona looked at Addison stunned and watched her leave.

She turned up her music and took up her racquet and ball before placing her glasses on her face and resuming her practice. She played for the next two hours without knowing it and when she stopped her blonde hair had come loose and was matted to her forehead and her tank top was wet with sweat. She wiped her face and drank the rest of her water before lying on the court. Addison was right, tightening her grip on the shot did help her game a whole lot. But that was not the only thing the redhead had been right about. She was right that Arizona knew that Callie was worth it, what other reason was there for her feelings not leaving despite everything she told herself about the woman not being right for her? Arizona had realized that she still wanted the Latina but because she was so stubborn she had refused to allow herself to believe Callie and to believe in Callie. And so she did what she normally did when she met a problem, she ran…and this is where Teddy was right. Unlike the other girls she dated, newborn or not, Callie chased her and the evidence was on her phone, the dozens of unanswered IM's, missed calls and voice messages from Callie and Mark and the interventions that their friends staged was proof that this woman was not just another girl. Arizona knew what she had to do but first she had to shower and change.

An hour later she was sitting on her bed with her phone in her hands. Her chat screen was up but she was too nervous to type anything. After a few minutes of silently encouraging herself she began typing.

_The_Marine: Hey, we need to talk. Can you meet me at Big Ben at 9:30?_

She was surprised when Callie responded soon after.

_Rockstar: Okay sure._

Arizona sighed in relief. She had an hour and fifteen minutes before she had to tell Callie what she thought and what she felt. Maybe she should have taken her parents' offer to visit Christian tonight; it would have saved her from having to do this. No, she had to do it, she wanted to do it. Callie had to know, she deserved to know. Arizona spent the next hour making notes for her research and with fifteen minutes left she left her room.

The night was cold and she contemplated going for a sweater but she could not risk the chance of Callie showing up and not seeing her there. She wrapped her arms around herself and walked quickly across the Quad and to the tree standing in front of Pierce Hall. There was no one there but then again, Callie had five minutes to show up. Arizona sat with her back to the tree watching a few people mill around the campus. The chapel bell rang signaling nine thirty.

When the chiming stopped a voice spoke from behind Arizona, "I didn't think you'd actually show up."

Arizona turned around and looked at Callie who also had her hands wrapped around her body even though she was in her jacket, "Same here."

The Latina sat in the same position as the blonde but to her right, "So what did you want to talk to me about so badly that you came out of hiding?"

Arizona took a breath, "I've had quite a day. I got my ass handed to me by three of our friends, one of whom is my best friend and roommate."

"Arizona what are you getting at?" Callie asked turning her head to look at the shorter woman.

"You're not hearing me, Calliope, sometime –" Arizona began.

"Did you just call me Calliope? I'm going to kill Addison!" Callie growled.

"Before you do that hear me out okay? Sometimes I panic in the moment and I call it wrong…I misjudge a situation. So…if you're up for it I'd like to take you to dinner."

Callie said nothing for a few seconds she simply stared a Arizona dumbfounded before shrugging and getting up, "Maybe."

It was Arizona's turn to be shocked, "Maybe?"

Looking down at the smaller woman, "Yeah; my schedule's kinda insane right now so I'll get back to you." Callie walked off leaving Arizona nodding in surprise. She took a few steps away before stopping and turning around, "How's uh tomorrow?" Arizona chuckled before breaking out into a huge dimpled smile to signal yes. When Callie saw this, her own face grew a smile to mirror the blonde's, "I'll see you tomorrow then, Marine."

**Thank you again and as always for reading. You guys are amazing for sticking with me through this. Now all I ask of you is to type a review, it can be whatever you want just type and hit send. And for those of you who were wondering or who wanted to know my Twitter handle is on my profile page so check it out!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**A few followers were asking for updates (TheFrenchLurker and Mexteryfication) and I promised my amazing followers an update so here it I, Chapter 13. And you guys get a new story in a few hours so yay! **

**For now enjoy this story! **

Callie looked at herself and ran her hand over her blouse. Her eyes found her best friend's in the mirror, "You think she'll like it?"

"She better, I put a lot of work into making you look this fabulous," Addison responded with a smirk.

Callie grinned, "You're amazing you know that?"

The redhead shrugged, "Yes I do actually."

Callie rolled her eyes, "Humble much." She faced the other woman with a smile on her face, "Thank you so much, Addie…for everything."

Addison waved her hand, "I was tired of seeing you live like a complete zombie those few days and plus, rule one of being your roommates best friend, 'She's happy…I'm happy' and Robbins makes you happy so I did what I needed to do."

"You're the best roommate-best friend-sister-bane of my existence ever!" Callie said with a smile.

"Why thank you and so are you," Addison said giving Callie a gentle shove. "When's your girl getting here?"

Callie looked at the clock on her desk, "She has five more minutes so she'll be here in about two."

Addison rolled her eyes, "Army brats…they never know how to be fashionably late."

Callie laughed, "She's a Marine brat, Teddy is the Army brat."

"She's your Marine brat," the redhead said with a raised brow and a smirk.

Callie winked, "She's my Marine."

Addison laughed, "Staking claim and you haven't even been on your first date yet."

"She's just that amazing," Callie gushed.

A knock sounded at the door and two pairs of eyes glanced at the wooded structure.

Addison looked at the clock, "You were right."

Callie rolled her eyes and moved to the door and opened it to reveal the blonde haired blue eyes bombshell. She was standing with her hands behind her while gently rocking back and forth. Callie gave her a once over and looked at her face only to find her eyes perusing the woman's body again. Arizona's hair was pulled back into a ponytail that stopped just below her shoulders abd that was swinging back and forth gently even though the blonde had stopped moving. Her blouse was cut just low enough to tease Callie's eyes and her imagination and hugged Arizona's body in all the right places. Her pants fit her perfectly and Callie could not help but wishing she was the pair of pants that the blonde was wearing.

"It's a good thing you got here early 'cause you guys just spent the last minute and a half gawking at each other," a pair of blue and a pair of brown eyes snapped to Addison and both Callie and Arizona blushed.

Callie looked at her date again, "Hi."

Arizona smiled, "Hi, Calliope. You look amazing." Addison added her 'I told you so.' after Arizona's comment.

Callie blushed deepened, "Thanks and you look fantastic."

Arizona smiled and accepted the compliment, "So you ready to go?"

"Yeah let me grab a few things," she turned around to get what she needed.

Addison shoved her purse into her hands, "Phone, lipstick, makeup, tissue and your money. Now get out, Sam's coming over and I told him that you'd be back late."

Callie rolled her eyes, "Just stay off my bed. I washed my sheets yesterday." She turned back to Arizona who still had not entered the room, "Ready?"

"Let's go then," the blonde said closing the door behind her date.

Thirty minutes later the two were seated at a private table in a buffet restaurant that Arizona had visited a few weeks ago with her friends. It was small, quaint and simply beautiful. Callie smiled when she had walked into the restaurant and was hit by the wonderful aromas of the food set out for the patrons. Now she sat facing Arizona and for a few minutes both were engrossed in the food before them. Callie was nervous and found that each time she wanted to speak her stomach would do backflips. She was surprised by this, after all, this was not her first date…it was not even her first date with a woman. But this was not any woman; this was Arizona Robbins and saying that to herself made Callie's stomach do another series of somersaults.

Arizona caught Callie looking at her, "Everything okay, Calliope?"

The butterflies that erupted inside of her last night when Arizona had called her by her full name did again and she could not help but smile, "Yeah no, everything's great."

"Okay." She was silent for a few minutes after until, "That's an interesting name. I like it."

"You like Calliope?" the brunette was surprised; she hated her name.

Arizona nodded, "As a kid I loved Greek myth and everything related to it and maybe it's fate or whatever but my favorite muse was always Calliope." Callie could not help but smile when Arizona spoke.

"I never liked it…hated it actually. Since I was four I've been telling people that my name is Callie because I hated how Calliope sounded but my dad insisted on calling me by it, even now."

"Addison told me…I can stop. I'm sor –" Arizona began.

"No." Callie blushed, "I like when you say it, it's not as…ugly."

Arizona smiled, "It's a beautiful name. Just like you."

Callie's lips parted slightly and it took her a few seconds to recover enough to answer, "Thank you." She needed a change of topic before she started blubbering like an idiot so she jumped on to her date's name, "So what's up with your name?"

Arizona put down her fork and wiped her hands on her napkin before speaking, "Contrary to the belief of almost everyone who knows me I wasn't named after the state; that's just tacky and uncreative." This sparked Callie's interest because she had believed that the state was significant to her parents and so they saddled their child with the name. "I was named after the battleship, the USS Arizona," yup, this was way more interesting than being named after the state. "My grandfather was serving on the Arizona when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He saved nineteen men before her drowned and so to hold on to his legacy my dad named me Arizona because you just can't name a girl Joseph," the blonde finished with a smile.

"Wow that's something," Callie said, all her focus on the blonde in front of her.

"Yeah. My dad told me that story after I kicked a kid in the privates on the playground after he was making jokes about my name," Arizona said chuckling.

"Oh you had the awful playground name calling too?" Callie asked a paned look on her face as her own memories caught up with her.

Arizona nodded, "That's where I unofficially learned to fight. I was a little badass."

Callie laughed at the smug look on the blonde's face, "I bet you were."

"Being a kid named Arizona was hard," the woman said pouting.

Callie rolled her eyes, "Yeah like being a Latina named Calliope was any easier."

Arizona considered this, "Yeah I guess you're right. Little kids wouldn't understand the beauty behind the name." She did it again! A simple comment that made the brunette blush. She doubted that Arizona was aware of what she was doing; the blonde was just a natural flirt. "Although there is no way that your childhood was worse than mine."

"I told you, dancing was torture!" Callie said.

"Try moving every year, living in ten different states, four countries outside of the US and that was by the time I was fifteen," Arizona said giving Callie a look that dared her to say that her life was harder.

"Dancing Arizona! Actual frickin' ballet!" Callie said hoping that Arizona would understand how torturous that period of her life was.

"Ten states…four countries, Calliope. I knew five languages by the time I was twelve," Arizona rebutted.

"Wow, that's impressive actually. Which languages?" Callie asked.

"Of course English, French, Japanese, Dutch and Swahili," Arizona said counting off on her fingers.

"Wow," Callie repeated. "Your life sounded kinda fun and interesting. You got to travel the world and meet new people."

"Yeah but I was never in one pace long enough to have friends, you know. Like you and Addison. I wanted that but it wasn't possible."

Callie nodded solemnly, "I know. Does it make you feel any better knowing that I never had friends until college? Except Addie of course."

"Why not?"

"I was that girl who sat at the back of the class and chewed on her hair. No one wanted to be friends with me."

"Well they missed out," Arizona said with a smile. She looked at her lap and groaned, "Seriously Mom."

"You can take it, I don't mind," Callie said.

Arizona shook her head, "No she can wait. I'll call her later." She closed her bag and placed it at her feet. "So from dancing to singing, how did that happen?"

Callie's face broke out into a huge smile, "I was fourteen and still dancing. One day I snuck out of the house, I still have no idea how I got away without any of the adults seeing me but I did and I went to a restaurant a few minutes away. I asked the owner if I could do a piece, she agreed and I went up after three other persons. I sang an old Air Supply song and when it ended I got a standing ovation. I was smiling like a fool until I saw my dad and his bodyguard standing in the back. He was pissed like never before but I told him that I preferred singing to dancing and so to prevent me from sneaking out of the house again he allowed he to take voice training lessons instead."

"You snuck out? Can someone say badass rebel?"

"I wanted to sing so I did what I had to do,"

Arizona shook her head, "Ye –" her phone vibrated again, "Seriously." She gave Callie an apologetic smile and reached for her bag.

"You can take it," Callie said.

Arizona took the bag and left the table. A few minutes she was back with a huge smile on her face, "Christian just woke up."

"What? Are you going to go?" Callie asked.

"Yeah. You wanna come?"

"You bet I do." They called over the waiter and paid their bill before heading to the hospital.

The two girls almost ran through Seattle Grace's lobby and into the elevator. They rushed into Christian's room, Arizona led the way. Two older men and a woman were already inside and the young man was lying in the bed with a smile on his face.

"Phoenix!" Christian said as soon as Arizona entered the room. "I was was thinking you didn't want to see me," she hugged her cousin and his eyes looked to the door as another person entered after the blonde. "Callie! What are you doing here?" before she could answer he looked at her and his cousin, "Wait! Don't tell me…you two?"

Arizona rolled her eyes, "Were on a date…yes."

This came as news to the other three persons who were in the room and now all attention was focused on Callie. She was nervous and not in the good way but in the 'run away and scream' way. She hated being the focus of everyone's attention but here in this moment that was exactly what was happening. Arizona must have realized this because she left her cousin's bedside abd stood beside Callie.

"Mom, Dad, Uncle Robbie," she turned to Callie with a smile on his face, "Calliope. Callie this is my mom, my dad and my uncle."

Callie took a step forward to shake hands but was engulfed in a hug from Arizona's mother, "It's nice to meet you, Callie." She pulled back with both her hands on the younger woma's shoulders, "Call me Barbara."

Callie nodded still shocked and Barbara moved aside to allow a tall, muscular man who Arizona resembled, he shook her hand, "Colonel Daniel Robbins, but you can call me Colonel, The Colonel or Sir, whichever you please and it is a pleasure to meet you, Callie."

Her eyes were wide, "Same here, Sir."

"Now you've gone and made the poor girl afraid of you, Daniel," the other man said. He also hugged Callie, "Robert Manning, just call me Robert or Robbie, I don't have any fancy titles like The Colonel over there," he nodded in Daniel's direction.

Callie smiled shyly at the Robbins-Manning family and Arizona came to stand beside her again.

"Okay now that you've told all the old people hi, what about me?" Christian said from his bed.

Callie smiled warmly as she moved to the side of his bed and embraced him, behind her Arizona was busy conversing with her family.

"I get knocked out for a while and this is what I wake up to? You and my baby cousin?" Callie smiled, "If I go under again and wake up you guys will be telling me that you're getting married."

Callie laughed, "I see that you woke up with jokes. It's only the first date, Chris and it was hell getting here."

He nodded, "I could hear the two of you when you were here. She likes you a lot but she's afraid of being hurt after everything that's happened to her and our family in the last few years." Christian looked over her shoulder and his voice rose, "So is there still a choir without me?"

Callie caught on quickly, "What? You think you're irreplaceable?" the man smiled and nodded. "Well I've got some bad news for you; we got a replacement mere hours after we found out."

"Oh come on…but I bet whoever it is isn't as great as I am."

Callie smirked, "You're right. Bailey is more of a singer than a pianist."

"Bailey is my replacement? What about the other pianists on campus? The music majors?" Callie could see that he was getting upset and very quickly too.

She tried to calm him down, "I don't think Bailey asked any of them she just took it on herself."

"But still, no one came forward to help out, that's bull!" by now his family had moved closer. "Tell Bailey that I'll be back before the end of the week."

"Christian, the doctors said –" his father began.

"Screw what the doctors said, Bellum Voces is in a month and that choir is the pride of the University so I'm gonna do my damned best to do my part in the competition since no one else wants to."

"Christian, you won't be able to go back to school for at least a week and the doctors are afraid that the part of your brain that allows you to play might have been compromised," his father said but that only made things worse.

His head snapped to his father, "What?" he laughed disbelievingly, "You're telling me that the only thing that I've ever been able to do right in my entire life has probably been taken from me?" No one said anything to him; none of them knew what to say. He closed his eyes abd rubbed his temples, "I need some time to myself."

"Christian."

"Dad! Please," he looked at everyone in the room before they all left.

The five walked down the hall and everyone but Arizona took a seat. The blonde opted to pace or hallway. She did that for five minutes before she took off her heels and was at it again. Callie's eyes watched Arizona's movements up and down the hallway.

The Latina stood up and stopped Arizona's pacing. The blonde looked at her and Callie could see the faraway and blank look in the blue eyes that she loved so much.

"You okay?" the blonde blinked a few times and then nodded. "You sure?"

"Yeah, Calliope," Callie searched Arizona's eyes.

"Okay. I'm gonna visit Mrs. Jameson, okay?" Callie said placing her hand on Arizona's shoulder.

"Erica's mother?" Callie nodded and she was sure she saw jealousy pass through the woman's face.

"She's a really nice woman and she didn't cut me off when…when Erica left. So I want to go check on her."

Arizona nodded, "Okay. I'll give you a call when we're ready to go." Callie nodded and headed to the elevator. When she turned around Arizona was pacing again, the doors closed with four pairs of eyes on the blonde.

The doors opened on the fourth floor and Callie walked to the nurses' desk to ask for Mrs. Jameson's room. She was directed to room 109. She knocked and opened the door. The woman lying in the bed look nothing like the Cynthia Jameson that she knew. The woman that was Cynthia Jameson was strong and robust, she looked everything like Erica but with a constant smile. This woman was ravaged; the cancer had taken its toll on her body. She was thin, her bones were visible and her face was no longer plump but pale and bony.

The woman tried to lift her head off the bed and just barely managed to see who her visitor was, "Callie is that you?" her voice was just as weak as she looked.

Callie closed the door behind her and moved closer to the bed, "Yes, Mrs. J. it's me."

The woman stretched her hand towards Callie, "Oh darling, it's so nice to see you."

She sat in the only available seat, "I ran into Erica the other day and she told me that you were here. I'm so sorry, Mrs. J."

The woman gave a laugh which turned into a cough, "Don't be sorry, dear. David was an amazing man and father to Erica, it's just that the only thing I hated about him is what's killing me," she gave another weak laugh. Callie did not know what to say after that but thankfully Cynthia dutifully kept up the conversation, "Erica never mentioned that she had seen you."

"Yeah well, it didn't quite play out well," Callie said looking anywhere but at her ex-girlfriend's mother's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Callie. I shouldn't have let her leave, I should have made her stay and work things out with you."

Callie shook her head, "I've come to terms with what happened and in hindsight it probably was for the best. So there's no need to apologize, Mrs. J."

"I figured that but she treated you badly after the breakup and I still feel the need to apologize for that."

Callie was about to speak when another voice did. The door opened, "Apologize for what, Ma?" the woman stepped into the room, "Callie?"

"Oh Erica there you are! Look who came to visit me," she beamed in Callie's direction.

"Hi Callie," the blonde said giving the visitor a tight smile.

"Erica." She looked at Mrs. Jameson, "Mrs. J. I'm going to go now."

The bedbound woman gave a smile and reached for Callie's hand, "Oh don't go just yet."

Callie squeezed her hand, "I have to; I came with my friend to visit her cousin and she's about ready now." Callie was looking for anything that could get her away from Erica and quickly.

"Okay darling. Just make sure you come and visit me when you can, okay?" the woman said giving a weak but sincere smile.

The brunette smiled, "You know I will," she promised. With a final smile she stood and left the room.

She was walking down the hall when her name was called by the one person she did not ever what to call her name again.

She spun around, "What Erica?" She saw the blonde smirk, she knew that she had annoyed the Latina and she was loving it. Callie closed her eyes and breathed slowly to calm herself. When she opened her eyes Erica was five feet away and still smirking. Another step and the blonde was right in front of her, "What Erica?"

Her expression did not change, "I just wanted to thank you for visiting her, she gets lonely easily and in a week I won't be here to visit her."

"You're welcome, Erica," she turned to go but stopped when the other woman spoke again.

"So you and your girlfriend made up," she crossed her arms and cocked her head. It made Callie sick.

"What does that matter to you?" Callie asked trying to keep her emotions…and hands under control.

Erica shrugged, "I thought we were friends."

Callie took a step forward, she was now toe to toe with the woman, ""We are not friends and what happens between me and Arizona is none of your concern."

"Arizona? Really?" Erica was definitely setting herself up for a good beat down. "Couldn't her parents think of something more creative than where they made her?" that was it! Callie's hands formed fists and she was about to go cage-fighter right there in the hospital hallway.

"Calliope," she blinked and her fists unclenched. She turned around, Arizona was ten feet away from her and hearing the blonde calling her name caused Callie to back down. The blonde walked towards her and put her hand on Callie's waist, "Everything okay?" she kept her eyes on Callie, briefly glancing to Erica.

"I was just telling Callie how surprised I was that you two made up already," the taller blonde kept the smirk on her face.

"Yeah well some people are just worth making up with," Arizona was still looking at the Latina and when Callie looked at her she was met with her date's dimpled smile.

Erica rolled her eyes, "Well I hope you enjoy your time with her, Alabama."

"It's Arizona Robbins and I intend to," Arizona said looking Erica dead in the eye.

"I bet you do, Arkansas," Erica sneered.

She had crossed the line. Erica Hahn had just crossed the frickin' line, "You know what, Erica? Leave Arizona out of this. Your problem is with me not her so whatever snarky and bitchy comment you want to make you direct them at me, not her." Erica's eyes snapped from ocean blue to dark brown and the anger and fire that she saw in them made her take a step back. Callie looked down at the blonde by her side and whispered, "Let's go." With a final look at Erica Hahn Callie and Arizona left the ward. They stopped by Christian's room to tell him goodnight but he was already sleeping.

They were back on campus minutes later. It was just after eleven and the two were walking slowly on the dark paths that ran all over the campus.

"Thanks for what you did back there…standing up for me and all," Arizona's voice was quiet.

"I did what I thought had to be done. It's not fair for her to pick on you when you had no part to play in what happened," Callie said looking at Arizona, loving the way her blonde hair reflected the moonlight.

"Still thank you, it was…sweet," Arizona smiled at the Latina and her eyes sparkled in the light provided by the moon.

Callie returned the smile, "Can I ask you something?"

"Fire away."

"Earlier when you said that I was…that some people…" she had no idea how she wanted to phrase the question.

"When I said that you're worth making up with?" Arizona provided putting Callie out of her misery.

"Yeah. How serious were you, or were you trying to get her to shut up?" Callie said shyly.

Arizona smiled at her but Callie looked away, she was way too afraid of hearing the response, "Calliope look at me." One internal battle and a few seconds later she did and Arizona continued, "I was being completely…totally honest. I didn't realize it earlier, like I told you last night I misjudge situations, but now I know that you are so worth it…because of you I've given up things that I never thought I would…I'm doing things that I told myself that I'd never do again and it's all because I've decided that you're worth it."

Wow. Arizona Robbins was great at giving speeches and this little confession had left Callie speechless. What do you say to something like that?

She must have looked more shocked than she thought because Arizona placed her hand on her arm and asked, "You okay, Calliope?"

"Uh…uh yeah. I just don't know what to say to that, thanks?"

Arizona giggled and Callie found herself smiling at the sound, "It's fine, you don't have to say anything."

"You're amazing," Callie looked around. Did that just come from her mouth? Oh God no! "Sorry. That shouldn't have come out," she said quickly after. "Not saying that you're not amazing 'cause you are…you totally are but that should have stayed in my head…sorry."

Arizona was giggling again, "Since you let that out I think I can give you one of my secrets too."

"Oh," words were definitely not Callie's friends tonight.

"I think you're pretty amazing too," Arizona said with a dimpled smile and a wink.

"Really?" Callie asked, a blush beginning to form.

Arizona nodded, "Yup." She held on to Callie's hand that was swinging gently beside her. Callie was surprised by the blonde's actions and looked between the smiling face of the blonde and the two hands that were joined and smiled.

They walked in a comfortable silence until they got to the door of Rhimes Hall. Arizona held the door open and Callie entered the Hall, it was the first time in five minutes that their hands separated.

The Latina turned to the shorter woman, "You don't have to follow me all the way up, you know."

"Then what kind of woman would I be if I didn't talk you to your door and tell you goodnight, Calliope?" Arizona asked with a slight smile. Callie did not answer verbally she simply held out her hand which the blonde gladly took hold of. They were at Callie's door not even a minute later and the two stood outside just looking at and smiling with each other.

After two minutes Arizona decided that it was time to say goodnight, "I really enjoyed tonight…even though I didn't plan for it to turn out like it did. Thank you for sending everyone to knock some sense into me and thank you for agreeing to date me after everything."

Callie shook her head gently, "Thank you, Arizona…for tonight and for listening to what Addie said yesterday. And tonight was just great, at least I got the meet the parents part out of the way already."

Arizona laughed, "I usually don't have girls meeting my parents on the first date but that's just another exception when it comes to you, I guess."

Yup, she was back to the stage of grinning like an idiot. It was a face that was becoming quite common when the blonde spoke. Oh well, Arizona had better get used to that look. She stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to Callie's cheek and the Latina was positive that she was grinning like…whatever was worse than an idiot. The smile she was wearing should have split her face in half; she was just waiting for it to happen.

"Goodnight, Calliope," Arizona whispered as she stepped back.

If Callie was asked what was the hardest thing for her in her life so far it would definitely have to be knowing how to speak in this moment.

She somehow got the two words she needed out, "Goodnight, Arizona."

The blonde backed away slowly and Callie's door opened, almost causing the unaware Latina to fall on her redheaded roommate.

Arizona chuckled, "Hi Addison."

"Oh Arizona, hi!" Addison said, her voice one octave too high. "Callie I didn't know you were there."

Callie blew a strand of hair that fell into her face during 'the fall that almost was' out of her face, "Sure you didn't."

Arizona waved at the two, "I'll see you later, Callie. Goodnight Addison."

The roommates waved their goodnights, one with a wider and brighter smile than the other.

Addison pulled Callie into the room and closed the door, "Okay spill!"

Callie smiled and recounted her date to her best friend.

**So that's chapter 13. Now the only thing I want more than chocolate covered strawberries (at 11:21 pm) is reviews. Yup, reviews. Now go ahead and make me happy while I search for chocolate and strawberries.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**I'm sorry for the week's wait but I've been really out of it this past week; despite that I still had to write to get this out to you guys so I spent the past few hours doing just that. Huge thank you to Cloee for helping me to get this chapter out! So here it is, chapter 14. **

**Enjoy!**

"Robbins, Altman, over here!" the two blondes looked around the room and spotted Mark Sloan waving at them. They moved wordlessly towards the man and found that he was not alone but was sitting at a combination of four tables with Derek, Meredith and Cristina. The two women said their hellos and took their seats, Arizona beside Derek and Teddy beside her. "Robbins, I feel like I haven't seen you in ages and that's saying a lot cause we're partners." He bit into his apple, "Where've you been?"

Arizona shrugged, "Between my room, my parents' house and the hospital."

"Oh, how's your cousin doing? I haven't heard much about him other than that he woke up last week," Mark said scrunching his brows.

Arizona sighed, "He's recovering. They're taking him home on Friday."

"Oh, cool. That's the day after tomorrow," he exclaimed.

"Yes…yes it is, Mark," she said sarcastically. He scowled at her and mumbled under his breath causing everyone at the table to laugh at him.

A few minutes later he was smiling again and engaging in conversation with Derek about a baseball match that he had watched the night before. He suddenly turned to her and Teddy, "Hey, we were planning on having a softball game this evening. You guys in?" Teddy readily agreed but Arizona shrugged. "Come on Robbins, you know you wanna join us," she shook her head. "Torres will be there. I haven't asked her yet but I know she'll say yes."

Arizona looked down at her plate trying to hide the smile that had crept on her face at the mention of Callie, "You can't use Calliope as a way to get me into your game." She looked up at him the smile gone from her face.

"Okay fine. But come on, Robbins we need one more player and you're that one player," he reached across the table and gestured towards her face trying earnestly to get her to play.

She rolled her blue eyes, "Fine. I'll play your stupid game."

Mark grinned at her, "You'll love it, I promise."

Derek snapped his fingers to get Mark's attention, "We still need an umpire; preferably someone who plays softball."

Teddy leaned forward to look at the man with creepily perfect hair, "Henry…my friend plays softball and I'm sure he would be willing to be an umpire."

"Ask him and let's get this game going, Altman," Mark said with a spark in his eye.

Teddy pulled out her phone and Arizona leaned over and whispered, "Your 'friend' huh?"

"Shut it. You'll have Callie there so I figured Henry could tag along as well…that way I don't have to watch you two make googly eyes at each other," Teddy said not looking at the other woman.

"Yeah because you'll be too busy making googly eyes at Henry," Arizona said around her straw.

Teddy scoffed, "I do not make googly eyes."

"Sure you don't, Altman."

A few seconds later Teddy addressed the two men at the table, "He said sure. What time though?"

Mark and Derek looked at each other before they both announced, "Five." Teddy nodded and sent the message.

The next few minutes were spent with the two men picking the teams for later; there were names that Arizona recognized and others that she did not. The men appointed themselves captains and of course Mark took Arizona, Callie, Addison and Teddy and put them his team. There was a small argument over a girl named Amelia that Meredith settled by serving as the tiebreaker and placing her on Mark's team.

A few minutes after Meredith had settled the argument more persons showed up at the table, among them Callie and Addison. The Latina sat across from Arizona and smiled at her. The smile had the same effect that it had on her every single time, she was left speechless and could only manage a smile in response.

When they were all seated Mark pounced on them, "Guys we're playing softball later. Derek and I already worked out all the details."

Alex scoffed, "When are we gonna play a real sport? Like football or rugby or wrestling?"

Meredith glared at him from her end of the table, "Softball is as much of a sport as all those, Alex." He grunted in response and bit into his sandwich.

Callie looked at Mark, "Owen and I have practice until six tonight."

Derek waved his hand, "That's fine just come after we made sure you two were on opposite teams so it'll still be even." Callie nodded.

"So who's on which team? You two have been hogging the list so we haven't been able to see it," Cristina said from beside Meredith.

"Can it, Yang. So, we've appointed ourselves captains of the two teams," Mark looked around but everyone seemed okay with that, even Cristina. He continued, "My team has Altman, Avery, Forbes-Montgomery, Little Grey –"

Addison cut him off, "Lexie's coming?"

Callie rolled her eyes, "Of course she is."

Mark cleared his throat, "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," he shot a glare to the two women, "Little Grey, Karev, Robbins, Girl Shepherd and Torres."

"And Amelia is coming as well. Great." Addison looked at Derek and Meredith, "Why don't you two have your sisters on your team?"

"Please don't get Derek and Mark started on the Girl Shepherd thing again," Cristina told her from the other side of the table.

"You know Amelia doesn't like me. Why would you put her on our team?" Addison said to her ex.

"You know as well as I do that she wouldn't want to be on my team, Addison," Derek shot back to her, his gaze becoming hard. Meredith placed her hand on his arm to calm him down.

"Can you read out Shepherd's team please, Mark," Owen asked from the end of the table trying to soothe the tension that had settled over the group.

The man nodded, "Shepherd's team, Adamson, Bennett, Fields, Grey, Hunt, Kepner, O'Malley and Yang." He folded the paper and placed it in his pocket. "And Altman's friend agreed to be umpire for this game." Everyone nodded and looked down at their plates picking at their food. They were all aware of the issues that Derek, Addison, Mark and Meredith had found themselves in but some had been left in the dark about Amelia Shepherd, Arizona being one of them. While the former couple had come a long way from the constant arguments and ignoring each other that had constituted whatever they had after the break up this issue with Girl Shepherd still seemed to be sensitive and sore with both parties.

Ten minutes later and almost without another word to each other the group began to disperse, firstly Cristina, Meredith, Derek and Owen until they all drifted off leaving Arizona with Callie, Teddy, Mark and Addison.

"I'm not playing if Amelia is on our team," Addison said when she could not see Derek's back anymore.

Mark sighed, "Come on, Addie. That was over two years ago."

"It doesn't matter Mark. Amelia Shepherd is a –" Addison began.

"I know, Addie but she's good now and I'm sure she's forgiven you more than she's forgiven Derek. She loves you and you know that," Mark said trying to get his friend to calm down.

Addison huffed, "Fine. But I'm not playing anywhere near her."

Mark shook his head, "We're gonna have her in her usual position. She needs the practice for next season anyways."

"Good. I'll play outfield with Cal," the man nodded.

The mention of Callie caused Arizona to look at the woman and she found the Latina's brown eyes on her. A smile crept on the face across from her and Callie winked before looking at Mark who had called her.

"The googly eyes have begun," Teddy leaned over and whispered to her dramatically, her eyes wide open.

Arizona rolled her eyes, "Shut up, Teddy." The blonde smirked and leaned back in her seat. Arizona's phone rang and she groaned expecting to find a call from her mother but instead smiled when she saw a text…actually she smiled when she saw who the text was from. She looked across the table with a smirk on her lips. Teddy leaned over when she saw what was happening, "Don't say anything, Theodora." She held up her hands and backed away from Arizona with a smirk on her face. Arizona responded to Callie's text and saw the other woman smile from across the table.

"Well, it's about time for Anatomy class," Callie said pushing away from the table.

Arizona looked at her phone for the time, "Oh wow, you're right." She pushed away from the table as well and took up her tray as well. "See you later, guys," she gave them a dimpled smile and left the table, Callie right behind her.

"We're on to you two," Mark shouted at their retreating backs.

They disposed of their trays and the food left on their plates and left the dining hall. They stepped out of Pierce to a shining sun. They strolled across the grass towards the Science Quad and Higley Auditorium; they actually had a few minutes to spare before they had to be at Dr. Grey's class.

"I haven't been able to see you much recently," Callie said beginning their conversation.

Arizona looked up at her, "I know. I'm sorry, I've been working on my part of the research, I've been at home with my parents an my uncle and I've been at the hospital with Chris."

"No need to apologize. When's he going home?" Callie said looking around the expansive lawn between Pierce and the Science Quad.

Arizona smiled, "Friday. Speaking of which, my mom's having a celebratory dinner and she wants you to be there."

Callie was surprised and Arizona could see it clearly when the Latina looked at her, "Oh…uh, I'll see if I can make it."

"You don't have to come if you don't want to. I'll just tell her you had practice or something," Arizona was giving her an out. She really hoped Callie did not take it.

"Don't be silly, Arizona. I'd love to have dinner with you and your family," the blonde released a breath that she did not know she was holding. "Will this by any chance count as a second date?" Callie asked smirking.

"Uh, what? No…unless you want it to be but I was thinking that our second date would have less of my family that the first. They're just so weird and awkward," Arizona said scrunching her face.

Callie laughed, "From what I've seen I actually like your family…your dad's still scary though."

Arizona waved her hand and scoffed, "Don't let what you see and the 'call me The Colonel' thing scare you, he's a big softie."

"Uh huh. I'll have to see that to believe it," Callie said pulling a few leaves from a tree they passed under.

"So how's practice?" Arizona asked looking up at the beautiful face that she had fallen in love with.

Callie threw away the leaves and turned her head to Arizona slowly, "Bailey is a monster." She shook her head when the other woman laughed, "I'm serious! I've been a part of the choir for a while now and this is the most I've ever seen her push us. Practices are now almost two hours longer than usual and we have meetings almost every day. Bailey needs to calm down."

"It's hard on her too, Calliope. She wants to win the trophy and with her lead musician being out for who knows how long she must be under a lot of stress," Arizona said watching a butterfly flutter pass them.

Callie sighed, "I know, Arizona. It's just that she's taking all of it out on us and we're just as stressed."

Arizona wrapped her arms around Callie's and looked up at her, "I know, Ca but think about the payoff in a month's time when the trophy and title are ours again." The smile she received was one of the most breathtakingly stunning she had received from the woman and it made her heart melt.

"Are you going to be there?" Callie asked, her eyes showing how hopeful she was.

"Do you want me to be there?" Arizona asked.

"Yeah," Callie breathed out.

Arizona nodded before shrugging, "Maybe." She let go of Callie's arm and walked a few steps ahead of her.

"Maybe?" Callie called walking faster to catch the blonde.

Arizona turned around and winked, "Maybe, Calliope." She jogged to the door of the building and held the door open for Callie.

Callie narrowed her eyes at the woman as she passed, "Thanks." When Arizona was in the building she turned around, "Maybe? Really, Arizona?"

Arizona laughed, "Fine, I'll be there." Callie smiled at her and they walked into the classroom. For the first time in a long while Arizona willingly took a seat at the back of the class simply because that was where Callie was.

Four hours later she was on a field with sixteen other people, one of who was standing in the circle they had formed around him.

"Alright, our teams only have eight people each so we're gonna play with two outfielders until the other two get here," Henry said trying to look at everyone standing around him. "We're gonna play a clean game here, okay?" There were a few shouts of 'no', particularly from Alex and Jackson but Henry ignored this and continued. "Derek and Sloan come forward please," the two men did as they were told and Henry took a coin from his pocket. He looked at Derek, "Call it while it's in the air." He flipped the coin; Derek's team won and sent Mark's team in to bat and Henry called out, "Play ball!"

Forty minutes later they had one point and had two bases loaded. Arizona sat in the makeshift dugout and watched as Sam pitched to Lexie. The brunette hit the ball over Lucy's head and towards where Cristina and Meredith were sitting and drinking from a flask. The two friends looked at the ball and laughed as it fell just in front of them. Meredith tried to stand to collect it but fell over, laughing in the process. Cristina, obviously not as drunk as the blonde, got the ball and threw it to Sam before doubling over with laughter at Meredith who still lying in the grass but trying to take another swig from the flask in her hand. During this time all three hitters had gotten to the home plate and the team was now up four to zip. The other batter that was left for the team, Alex, was out as quickly as he got in and now it was time for Arizona to find herself in the outfield. She got up and walked across the diamond with Addison as Mark called out for Amelia to get ready.

Derek was the first to bat and the man faced his sister with a scowl. She had him out a few minutes later and his scowl grew worse, she simply smirked at him. Amelia was good…no she was fantastic; she had sent four members of Derek's team back to their dugout without a point. It was a drunken Meredith who actually put on the best performance out of all the batters, managing to hit the ball past Jackson and into the outfield where Arizona scooped it up and fired it to Lexie who was unable to get Meredith out. Even drunk the woman was fast. Five minutes after that play the blonde was tagged out trying to steal second after Reed had hit a ball into the outfield. Callie arrived just in time to see Arizona snag a beautiful catch to get George out. Henry stopped the game and allowed Callie to join Addison and Arizona in the outfield.

The Latina jogged up to the two who were sitting on the grass, "Hey," she received a dimpled smile from Arizona and a head nod from Addison. She sat between the two, "So this is all you guys do?"

Addison shrugged, "This is all I do. Arizona actually plays, that's just too much work for me."

Callie rolled her eyes, "Catching a ball is too much work but going shopping for hours is nothing."

"Uh, yes. Shopping is actually fun…this isn't," Addison said shading her eyes with her hand to see what was happening in the diamond.

"This is fun, Addie," Arizona said jumping up and pulling Callie up with her. "Come on, I'll let you get the next ball and you'll see."

The redhead shook her head, "No thank you. I'm good right here."

Callie smirked and held on to Arizona's hand, "Come on. She'll be fine right here." She looked at Addison, "Maybe you can work on that tan that you were planning on paying hundreds of dollars for."

Addison stuck her tongue out at her best friend, "I hope Arizona realizes how mean you really are."

Arizona laughed and nodded to Addison behind Callie's back. The Latina saw and slapped Arizona's arm, "Ouch, I was joking, Calliope."

"No. You don't get to make jokes with Addison at my expense," Callie said looking between the two.

"Okay. I'm sorry, Calliope," Arizona said using her most apologetic voice.

"You're lucky I like you," she said to Arizona. She turned to Addison, "I'm still contemplating whether I like you or not."

Addison scoffed, "You love me." Callie rolled her eyes and gently pulled on Arizona's hand leading her away from their friend.

"How was practice today?" Arizona asked when they were seated on the grass once more.

"Not as stressful as the other days but it was still strenuous," Callie said plucking the grass from around her sneaker. "Bailey was kinda out of it today. We really need Chris. Do you by any chance play the piano?"

Arizona shook her head, "I wish I did. I never got into music as a kid but I learned to play guitar in the last two years that Tim was at home."

Callie sighed and stretched out on the grass, "You and your brother got along well?"

Arizona looked at the players on the diamond smiling, "Yeah we did. He was the only person who was always with me through all the moves and he was my best friend…we were each others' best friends. I came out to him before I did to my parents because I knew that he would have supported me when I was ready to tell them. He was the best brother ever."

"I bet he was. How long?" Callie asked.

Arizona looked down at the Latina at her side, "Four years, two months and ten days. He was stationed in Iraq and a suicide car bomber attacked his convoy and he held on for a while but…" neither the words nor the tears would come. She felt Callie's hand on her exposed arm and a single tear fell, she wiped at it and looked towards Owen who had called her name. The ball was flying towards them; Arizona quickly jumped up and picked up the ball that had fallen a few feet beside her. She threw it to Reed who tagged Lucy to get her out. A cheer erupted from the rest of the team and Arizona responded by giving two thumbs up in her captain's direction.

She sat beside Callie again with a smile, "So how was growing up with your sister?"

Callie looked at her for a while before answering. "Aria. She was…she is something else. She was one of those kids that embraced high society very well; I didn't so you can imagine the conflicts we had. But despite that she still managed to be down to earth but you had to know her really well to find that out. She and Addie still dislike each other up to this day but they don't spend enough time getting to know each other. Aria, she's one of those annoying sisters that you just have to love."

Arizona nodded, "Yeah I get that, it's kinda like that with me and Teddy. What do your parents do?"

"My dad owns a chain of hotels across the US and in some other countries and my mom throws parties and impresses, you know the typical socialite thing," Callie rolled her eyes when she spoke about her mother.

"I'm guessing from your reaction that you aren't too fun of that life," Arizona said turning her body towards Callie.

"That's all I've ever seen her do and I'm actually surprised that Aria and I didn't turn out that way. I mean Aria does it but not as much as my mom. It's like it's all she lives for and I don't know what kind of life that is," Callie said pulling her eyes away from Arizona and looking up at the quickly darkening sky. Before Arizona could respond Mark called his team in. The two stood and met up with Addison again to walk across the field to their 'dugout'.

Just over one hour later everyone was too tired to play the last quarter and so they ended the game four to two with Mark's team being the victor. Addison and Teddy had left the field with Callie and Arizona but left them and caught up with the others who had gone ahead.

"Those two are getting quite close aren't they?" Callie said watching the two women laugh with each other.

"Yeah; are you getting jealous, Calliope?" Arizona asked arching a brow at the taller woman.

"What? Of course not. Addie is free to make new friends, I was just making an observation," Callie huffed. "But if my best friend leaves me for yours then know that I'm coming to complain to you about it." Arizona laughed, "I'm not joking, Robbins. Addie is more than my best friend and roommate."

Arizona controlled her laughter, "I know, Calliope. If you want I can talk to Teddy and ask her to tone down the chumminess."

"No! Then she'll think I'm being selfish and bitchy," Callie said quickly.

"Okay," the blonde drawled, "I'll leave it be then." Callie nodded.

Teddy turned around and shouted to them, "Hey you two." They both looked at the blonde who was fifty feet in front of them, "We're going to the bookstore to get ice-cream." They nodded at her and crossed over towards the bookstore.

Five minutes later they walked into the building and heard Cristina's voice coming from the food section of the bookstore, "Tell her that we want rum and raisin, Mer…without the raisins…and the cream for that matter."

Meredith laughed, "But that would only leave," she hiccupped, "That would only leave…rum!" She laughed again.

"You're a fast learner, Merry Berry," it was a definite, both women were drunk. They walked in to see Owen holding a cup of coffee for Cristina to drink and her refusing it, "I'm not drunk, Owen. I'm perfectly fine," she patted his cheek and looked around the room. She spotted the newcomers, "Cal, Blondie, you two been shagging?'

Callie groaned and Arizona tried to stifle her laughter, "Go get sober, Yang."

"I'm sober…tell her, Mer," the blonde nodded her head from its position on Derek's shoulder.

"Okay now that everyone's here just get your ice-cream and we'll head out to the Quad," Mark said to the group.

Everyone got their dishes of ice cream and left. Arizona took a spoonful of her ice-cream and moaned as it melted on her tongue; Callie looked at the blonde, "What flavor gets you to do that?"

"Spicy Peanut Butter," Arizona said receiving a shocked and slightly 'you're crazy' look from Callie.

"Don't knock it until you try it, Torres," she scooped up the ice-cream and held it up her spoon for Callie to taste. The Latina dipped her head and took the ice-cream in her mouth; she gave a similar response to the blonde, "See I told you, it's good." Callie nodded. "What flavor did you get?"

"Karamel Sutra," Callie said holding it out for the blonde to see. "You want?" Arizona nodded and the Latina held out her spoon full of ice-cream for the blonde to taste.

"That is better than good," Arizona said trying to grab the spoon from Callie. "Please," Arizona whined when Callie held both the dish and the spoon above her head.

Arizona pouted and stopped walking. Callie turned around and looked at her, "What's wrong, Arizona?"

"Addison was right, you are mean," Callie walked towards her with a smile but the blonde's pout was firmly in place.

Her smile faltered, "Arizona…" the blonde shook her head causing her ponytail to swing behind her. Callie sighed and extended the dish and the spoon towards the blonde her pout turned into a smile but she shook her head again. "If you don't want the ice-cream what do you want then?"

She gave the brunette a cheeky smile, "I wanted to see how long it would take you to do that."

Callie slapped Arizona's arm, "And you say I'm mean!"

"I'm not mean...I'm adorable," Arizona said walking off.

They caught up to the rest of the group at the Quad and sat with Teddy and Addison, "We were beginning to think that you guys ditched us." Arizona rolled her eyes at her best friend. Callie had already been engaged in a conversation with Addison and Mark and Arizona was only able to watch as the most amazing and the closest thing to perfection that she knew sat five feet away from her laughing with her closest friends. "You got it bad, Z."

Arizona's eyes kept their focus on the Latina goddess that she had fallen for, "I know, Teddy. I got lucky that day when she said she liked me and I almost screwed it up…I almost screwed this us. I know it hasn't been long and it's not like we're actually together but she's the best thing that's happened to me since Timothy told us he was drafted."

Teddy was smiling at her best friend, "I'll pretend that you just bypassed our friendship as the greatest thing that's happened to you and tell you that you've deserved it. After all the shit that's happened to you, you deserve to be happy and Torres makes you happy; you two need to get together real soon."

"We've been on one…half of a date, Teddy and the second will be Friday…at my parents' house. I swear, those other girls that I dated would have most likely had a problem with that but not Callie. She's met my parents and dad introduced himself as The Colonel again but she likes them and they invited her to dinner so I'm guessing they like her as well. She's simply amazing in every way…she's beautiful both inside and out," Arizona's eyes sparkled as she smiled and spoke about the woman.

"I never thought I'd hear you talking like this, Z. I'm really happy that you and Torres found each other, that you found happiness again," Teddy said.

Arizona nodded her agreement and her smile grew wider when Callie's brown eyes met hers and the Latina sent her a playful wink, "I found more than happiness, Teds."

**Thank you again for reading and for your continued interest in this story. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**Originally I wasn't sure if this chapter would be posted tonight (it's still Wednesday for me) but I sat and wrote and I got it out so here is chapter 15.**

**Enjoy!**

'Calm down, you look fine. That's what Arizona said right?' Callie's internal musings continued as she sat in Arizona's car looking out the window at the passing buildings. 'It's just dinner and a movie…with her family.' Her foot took on a mind of its own and began tapping away. 'Oh God, I'm going to say something stupid or hurl and then they're going to hate me.' This made her nauseous and she started chewing on her thumbnail. 'Yup, totally gonna hate me.'

"You okay, Calliope?" she looked at the blonde suddenly, startled by the intrusion of Arizona's voice in her thoughts.

Arizona glanced at her and in that fleeting second Callie saw concern and worry in the woman's blue eyes. She took a breath to calm herself, "Yeah. Everything is fine." Arizona nodded and pulled off the main road and into a residential area.

Three minutes and a few turns later they stopped in front of a quaint house. The lawn was perfectly manicured and the little shrubs with their assorted colors lined the driveway that currently had a pickup and a car parked there. Even from the outside the house was inviting. Arizona opened Callie's door and led the way up to the front door. The nerves returned when Callie stepped out of the car and with each step that she took to get closer to the door the more nervous she grew. She ran a hand through her hair and without knowing it her nail was between her teeth again.

Arizona looked in the window of the car as they passed, "Calliope…" she stopped walking and turned to the Latina with a dimpled smile, "I don't know if I've already told you this but you look beautiful."

Callie smiled, "You have."

"Well then it never hurts to say it again." She placed her hand on Callie's arm, turned her head to the side and gave her one of those adorably cute smile, "You have nothing to worry about, I'm sure that by the end of tonight they'll love you almost as much as they love me."

Callie rolled her eyes but kept the smile on the face, "Hmmm, now how much do you think they love you?"

"A whole lot; I'm their daughter, their only daughter. They gotta love me and by the time we're ready to leave they'll love you too," Arizona nodded smiling.

Callie took a deep breath, "Okay." She held out her hand and Arizona grabbed on to it, "Let's go then."

The two walked up the steps that led to the porch and with a quick knock Arizona opened the door, "Mom, Dad, we're here."

Barbara appeared from a room of to the left of the one they were standing in with an apron around her waist. "Arizona, hello honey," she gave her daughter a peck on the cheek. "Callie, darling, how are you?" she asked giving her a hug.

"Hi, Barbara. I'm good, thanks for inviting me," Callie said smiling at the woman who was holding on to her shoulders and giving a smile similar to her daughter's.

"Oh, it's my pleasure, darling, make yourself at home. Arizona, your father is in the backyard with the grill," Barbara said glancing at her daughter.

"Okay, Mom. Are you making pies?" Arizona said walking ahead of the two women into the room that her mother had emerged from.

"Yes; they're for dessert, Arizona." She slapped away a hand that was reaching for a knife.

"Just a tiny piece, Mom. Please," Arizona begged.

"Arizona Elizabeth Robbins, get out of my kitchen," Barbara said sternly.

Callie laughed at the look that graced the younger blonde's face. Arizona grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room, "What are you laughing about?"

"That look on your face, it's hilarious," the shorter woman stuck her tongue out at the Latina. "Cute, Arizona," Callie said replicating her actions.

Arizona led her through a hall that was lined with pictures, one particular photograph caught her eye and she stopped causing Arizona to stop as well. A smile spread across Callie's face as she looked at the picture.

Arizona's voice filtered to her softly, "That was his favorite picture." Callie looked at the woman and then at the picture. It was a black and white photo of a young boy, about six or seven years old, sitting on a wall and a younger girl on the ground looking up at him. The background of the picture had a man dressed in fatigues and showed a military base but the smile on the boys face as he looked down at his sister showed none of the tension that came with wars. "He always said that I've always been looking up to and always will look up to him and he's right; my big brother was…is my idol, my hero."

"I really wish I could have met him," Callie said looking down at Arizona.

The blonde gave a small smile, "He would have loved you."

A deep voice boomed through the hallway, "I never thought I'd see the day that my daughter came home and didn't come to see me first."

Arizona turned around and threw her arms around her father, "I was coming to look for you, Dad."

He hugged her tightly before letting go and smiling at Callie, "Callie, nice to see you again. How are you?"

Callie shook the man's hand, "It's nice to see you again, Sir. I'm doing well, thank you for having me here."

"Well frankly anyone Z talks about the way she talks about you is always welcomed," Colonel Robbins. He looked at the picture they were standing in front of before quickly looking away, "Callie has Arizona shown you around?"

"I was going to after we came to see you and now that we've seen you, old man, we can get moving," Arizona said poking her father in the side.

"I am not old," he said smiling at his daughter and in that moment when his dimples popped Callie saw the soft side of Daniel Robbins that Arizona spoke about. "You're going to regret saying that," he reached out to grab her but she was too quick and took two steps back before backing into Callie.

Daniel lunged for her and held on while she twisted to get out of his grasp, "No, Daddy, please. No," he tickled her and she burst out laughing, "Dad! Callie, help me. Dad, no!"

Daniel looked up at the Latina who was sporting a huge smile, "Callie, you might want to stay back, this can get really intense." Callie listened and took a few steps back smiling as Arizona continued with her blend of laughs and shouts.

Barbara poked her head out of the kitchen, "Daniel stop horsing around with Arizona, I need your help in here for a minute."

He let go of Arizona and looked at his wife sheepishly before walking away, "Yeah, go be a man, Dad and stop picking on little girls." He turned around with a cunning smile on his face and feigned a lunge at her causing the blonde to run and hide behind Callie. The Latina laughed and Arizona poked her, "What are you laughing about?"

"Remind me again of your age," Callie said laughing harder as Arizona huffed and pouted. "It's cute that you and your dad can be so easy and laidback with each other," Callie pushed a lock of blonde hair behind a fair ear.

"How you speak about him gave me the impression that you two had an easy relationship," Arizona smiled as Callie's fingers grazed the shell of her ear.

Callie's hand fell and she sighed, "It is easy but it's not as…fun as your relationship is with your dad. It's a more…I don't know. It's just not like what you and your dad have."

Arizona nodded. "How about that tour?" the Latina nodded and Arizona held on to her hand again. The blonde adopted an affected voice as she walked down the hallway, "Now Casa de Robbins was built in…I don't know what year actually but all you have to know I that it was built." Callie laughed and rolled her eyes, she really liked the relaxed Arizona that she had seen over the past few days. The smile she wore when she was having fun or being silly was something Callie knew that she would never get tired of seeing. "And here we have the sitting room," Callie stepped into the room and was impressed by what she saw. It was not as big as the main sitting room…or even one of the smaller ones at the Torres mansion but the room gave of a comfy and homey feel. Arizona led them around the couch and to the fireplace, "I swear that fireplace is the best thing about this house. It's super amazing on really cold winter nights."

Callie's eyes drifted to the framed photographs sitting on top of the fireplace. There were four pictures standing elegantly next to each other. One showed a family of four, the Robbins', another a family of three, the Manning's and the pictures in the center were of a man and a woman both in uniform. One of a young man and the other of an older woman but both stood proudly in their uniforms with the nation's flag beside them. "The woman's my aunt, Christian's mom. She's another of the long list of Robbins' who didn't return from war."

"Your family has a lot to be proud of, Arizona," Callie said solemnly.

Arizona looked at Callie to respond but a loud shout from the front of the house caused her to look roll her eyes, "Guess who's here?"

She giggled, "Uncle Robbie and Christian, particularly Uncle Robbie, are very noisy."

"You don't know noisy until you've spent time with a room full of Mexicans…and they don't even have to be drunk, they're just naturally loud," Callie said shaking her head.

"You're Mexican? See there's something I didn't know about you," Arizona said looking at Callie in surprise.

"Yeah. I was born there and lived there for four years, then we moved to Miami and we've been there ever since."

"That's cool. So you speak Spanish," Callie nodded and Arizona waggled her brows, "Say something for me"

Callie chuckled, "Only if you say something in one of those four other languages that you know."

Arizona laughed and shook her head, "Yeah, no not gonna happen."

Callie crossed her arms over her chest and raised a perfectly shaped brow, "And why not?"

The blonde shrugged, "Just 'cause."

There was shuffling of feet behind them and Christian, "Hey look it's one of my favorite girls."

Arizona rolled her eyes with a slight blush, "Oh whatever, Chris."

"Oh, you thought I was talking about you, Phoenix. Nah," he bumped shoulders with her, stepped over to Callie and put his arm around her shoulders, "I was talking about Cal." He looked at the Latina, "No one told me you were coming and I find it just a little offensive Phoenix that you didn't tell me."

Arizona rolled her eyes again, "Well surprise. Where's Uncle Robbie?"

"He's in the backyard with Uncle, he brought some more steak so they're out there doing that," Christian said letting go of Callie and picking up the picture of his mother. He put it in its place once more and turned to look at them, "So what're you guys up to?"

"Arizona's giving me a tour of Casa de Robbins," Callie said mocking the blonde.

"Okay. So is this a private tour or can I join?" the man asked with a smirk.

"You know I didn't miss your unnecessarily cheeky comments while you were laid up in that hospital bed," Arizona responded and he burst out laughing.

"But you missed me and what am I without my unnecessarily cheeky comments?" the dark-haired man asked.

"Less of an ass," Arizona said dryly causing Callie to laugh and take a step back from the feuding cousins.

It really was a welcomed sight to see Arizona release the stress that she was seemingly under once more. Wednesday evening had showed her some of that side of the woman she was quickly falling for and she loved it but on Thursday serious Arizona Robbins was back. Callie had gone to watch Lexie and Reed's tryouts for the racquetball team with Mark and had seen how the blonde pushed the members of her team, her co-captain and best friend and even herself. Arizona wore her game face for two hours only letting it slip for a few seconds when Teddy made a joke and when she smiled when Callie had arrived at the courts accompanied by Mark.

Arizona and Christian were now punching each other and throwing insults back and forth, looking on a person without inside knowledge would never know the pain that the family had gone through. From the outside looking in they were a loving and happy family and indeed they were but the hurt from the past years were right there for all who knew them well enough to see. Callie was beginning to see the hurt and pain…well at least Arizona's hurt and pain. She saw it every time the blonde spoke about her brother and every time Christian was mentioned while he was in the hospital and she thought that it was anything but fair. It was not fair for someone as sweet and kind as Arizona, and the Robbins by extension, to go through the number of trials and hardships that they had in a matter of years.

"Callie?" Christian was waving his hand in front of her face.

"Huh? Yeah?" she turned and looked at the cousins.

"We were going upstairs, wanna join us?" Arizona asked from behind the man.

"Uh, yeah…sure," Callie said nodding.

Christian led the way and Arizona fell in step with Callie, "What're you thinking about?"

The taller woman shrugged, "Just how I love seeing you smile like you were just now."

Arizona blushed, "Your flirting is anything but subtle, Calliope."

"Who said I wanted to be subtle? I want you to know how beautiful you and your smile are," Arizona's blush deepened and she looked away from Callie's eyes.

"Thank you, Calliope," the smile she gave was small and shy but her eyes still sparkled.

After a quick tour of the house the three friends marched upstairs once more, "And now for this room." Christian looked at Arizona with a cheeky smile, "Drum roll please, Z."

"Shut the hell up, Christian," Arizona said swatting back the hand that he held out towards her. She opened the door and let the two in.

Callie stepped in and was completely overcome by shock with what she saw. Firstly the room was pink. The walls were painted in a light shade of the color and the trimming at the top of the wall was painted in a darker shade of pink. It was pink! The second thing that she noticed was that there were stuffed animals everywhere! Some were seated on the queen sized bed, others were on the couch smiling at those on the bed and still more were positioned along the walls. Callie looked around and she was sure there was a stuffed toy for every animal she knew and then some.

"Welcome to the room of the five year old of the Robbins family," Christian said with a wave of his hands.

"Shut up," Arizona replied blushing. She turned to Callie, "Wouldn't you rather us stay downstairs?"

Raven hair danced as Callie shook her head, "I've got no problem being here." Arizona scowled before throwing herself on the bed. "You don't mind if I look around, do you?"

"Knock yourself out," Arizona responded making space for Christian on her bed.

The first thing Callie noticed…other than the stuffed animals and the pink…was the poster of Cindy Crawford. "You have a Cindy Crawford poster?"

Arizona opened one blue eye, "Yeah. I've had that since I was like twelve." Callie nodded and continued her walk around the room.

The room provided her with a lot of insight into the woman that she had found herself liking. Firstly, despite any front that she put up Arizona was a girly girl. Secondly, she was always aware that she was gay and was proud of it. Thirdly, she had begun teaching herself how to play the guitar a year ago and was quite good at it for a beginner. Lastly, she had good taste in music, admittedly most of the CDs that she had on the top most shelf of her bookcase were not what Callie would listen to but they were still some good artistes.

The three spent the next hour on the bed talking about everything and about nothing. Callie had opted to lie beside Christian instead of Arizona because she was not sure that could have controlled herself if she was beside the blonde. There was a lull in the conversation and Callie's mind began to wander. It was funny how just over a month ago she would never have been in this position, particularly with these two people. But here she was a month later wanting to be nowhere in else in the world than where she was. She was happy with Arizona…whatever they were. If she was being completely honest with herself she would have to say that she was hoping that all goes well so that one day soon she would be able to claim the other woman as her girlfriend; but now things were going slow. Addison had gotten them to admit that they wanted to be with each other but they were yet to discuss it together.

Christian's stomach growled and he sat up, "Come on girls, time for real food!" The two got up and followed him downstairs and into the delicious aroma of steak and pies.

The three friends joined the older people in the backyard and Arizona immediately received a stern eyes from her mother, "What, Ma?"

The older blonde shook her head, "Nothing, dear."

Arizona sighed and led Callie to the table that was set out with steaks, burgers and hotdogs. Callie, Arizona and Christian all got their plates filled and sat one of the two picnic blankets that Barbara had set out for the occasion.

"Your dad's a really good chef," Callie said after her second burger.

Arizona nodded, "Yeah but don't let him hear you; he has the world's biggest ego."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree then, I guess," Christian said with a smirk.

"I do not have a big ego," Arizona countered, plucking a fry from Callie's plate.

The man nodded, "You're right, little cousin; your ego isn't big…it's enormous…gigantic!" She threw the fry that she had stolen at his face and it hit him on the forehead.

"You two always like this?" Callie asked, moving her plate away as the blonde tried to steal more fries to throw at her cousin.

"Always," a deep voice answered behind them. "It was worse when we had Tim." Daniel sat beside his daughter and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You'd think that as the oldest he'd act as a mediator and separate them when they got like this but no. One day he'd be on 'Zona's side and the next he'd be on Chris'. It went on like that since these two were three and he was five."

"'Zona always started it," Christian added.

"Did not!" she tried kicking him but her legs were too short.

"See, she encourages violence. Get out while you can, Callie," he said giving her a knowing nod.

Callie laughed, "I think I can manage and I've never seen her violent side."

"Because I have none!" the blonde threw her hand that was not locked in her father's embrace into the air.

"So kicking and punching me is not violent?" Christian asked, poking her with his foot.

"No. I can do much worse than that," she replied giving him a death stare.

"Okay, 'Zona, you're not going to do anything worse. Neither will you, Christian," Daniel jumped in before an actual fight started. He looked at Callie, "So Callie, 'Zona tells me that you're on the University's choir."

She nodded, "Yeah, second soprano. Uh, we're practicing for an upcoming competition, Bellum Voces."

He nodded, "I think Chris was telling me about it."

"Yeah, he was our guy until the other day," she said.

"I'm still the guy. I'll be back in no time."

"Have you tried playing?" Daniel asked him.

The other man shook his head, "My portable keyboard is at home and I won't get there till tomorrow."

A tense moment settled over the group. Arizona took it upon herself to break it, "Callie's an amazing singer. Super amazing."

A blush settled on the brunette's face, "Not that good."

"Believe me, you are," she said and Christian nodded to emphasize the blonde's point. "The first time I heard you sing, I was struck dumb…ask Teddy if you don't believe me."

Callie smiled, "Was that during the time that I hated you?"

She nodded, "And even then I thought you were a fantastic singer." Callie blushed and Arizona leaned over and intertwined their fingers.

"You hated Arizona?" Colonel Robbins asked.

Callie sighed, "I didn't hate her…she just thought I did."

"You were always giving me that Torres glare, of course I thought you hated me," Arizona said butting in.

Callie held up her index finger, "Okay, you really need to stop spending so much time with Addison because I do not have a 'Torres glare'." Arizona nodded with a smirk on her face. "Don't smirk at me."

"Why not?" Arizona asked.

"Because I'm angry with you," Callie replied and Arizona's smirk turned into a pout.

The blonde let go of her father's hand and crawled closer to Callie, "I'm sorry, Callie; you don't have a glare. Please don't be angry with me. Please, Calliope. Say you'll forgive me…I'm sorry."

Christian rolled his eyes, "Over dramatic much."

"Please Callie…forgive me. I never meant anything by it. I'm sorry," Arizona continued, holding both of Callie's hands.

Callie sighed and lifted her and Arizona's hands and looked at them, "Fine. I forgive you."

Arizona lunged at her and wrapped her arms around her body, "Thank you, Calliope."

It was a wonderful feeling. Having Arizona Robbins in her arms felt right…it was perfect. It was not growing up as a heiress in Miami that made her feel like she had everything she ever wanted but it was having Arizona's arms around her and hers around the blonde. Arizona nuzzled her nose into Callie's neck and a moan escaped her.

"Whoa, get a room you two," Christian's voice broke through the haze that descended on them. They broke apart both sporting matching blushes.

"Looks like Mom's ready for dessert," Daniel said standing.

Arizona was next on her feet, "Blackberry pie!"

The look that Callie was sporting caused Christian to explain, "If she had to choose between you and blackberry pie the pie would win."

"That's not true. I like pie but I like Calliope even more," the blonde responded sticking out her tongue at the man who was getting up.

"That's the first time the pie has lost to a person. You must be really special Callie," Daniel said.

"She is," Arizona helped Callie to stand as the Latina blushed.

Arizona's name was called from the house, "I'm going to cut the blackberry pie first."

Callie was sure she had never seen Arizona move more quickly than when she heard that, not even when she was chasing Teddy for her phone, "Coming Ma!"

Callie and the Robbins-Manning family spent the rest of the day talking and watching movies. There was a general complaint from everyone present when Arizona chose their second movie to be Lion King.

"Aren't you too old to be watching The Lion King, Z?" Robbie asked.

She shook her head and retook her seat beside Callie, "You're never too old for Lion King, Uncle."

"What'd you expect, Dad? She still has all those stuffed animals in her room," Christian replied from his position on the floor.

"I am going to ignore you now," Arizona said snuggling into Callie's side.

"Oh, someone's growing up," the young man countered.

"Shut up! It's starting," she shouted over everyone's laughter.

For the next hour and a half the room was silent…mainly because everyone was afraid of the wrath of the blonde who was now on the ground five feet from the television going through each character's lines as though it was nothing.

The credits rolled through and a sigh was heard in the room. Arizona got up with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. "That was beautiful."

"I have no idea how you aren't tired of watching that," Daniel said standing to go to the kitchen.

"It's a classic, Dad."

"Arizona, are you and Callie staying for the night?" Barbara asked, shaking Robbie's shoulder to wake him up.

"Can't, Mom. We gotta go back to campus," Arizona's back popped as she stretched it.

"Nonsense," Barbara retorted. "Callie can have the guest room, Christian can have Tim's room and Robbie looks like he'll be fine on the couch."

"Why can't Callie stay in my room," both women began arguing but Arizona laughed and held up her hands, "I was joking." Barbara stood up, "Callie has practice early tomorrow morning so it's best she be on campus and coach wants us up tomorrow for practice as well."

"Okay, darling," Barbara made her way to the kitchen and the two women followed her. "Have some pie to go though." She handed them each half of a pie and placed a whole pie beside Arizona, "That one's for Teddy."

"Why does she get a whole pie?" Arizona complained.

"Because she wasn't here to eat two by herself," the elder Robbins answered swatting her daughter's arm. "Callie here, give this to Teddy for me please. I gave birth to this one and I know she'll eat it before she even reaches to her car." Arizona smirked at her mother's words but said nothing.

"Okay, Barbara and thank you for the dinner and for the evening. I had a wonderful time," Callie said with a smile on her face.

Barbara mirrored her expression, "Any time, Callie and it was our pleasure having you." She glanced at Arizona, "Take care of this one for me, please."

Callie laughed, "I'll try my best."

"I'm not gonna kill myself or something, Mom," Arizona said giving her mother a kiss on the cheek.

"If you keep overworking yourself you will," Barbara replied.

"Have you been talking to Theodora again?" Arizona asked her mother. "She and I are gonna have to draw some lines."

"I didn't need Teddy to tell me that; you're my child."

Colonel Robbins walked into the kitchen and looked at his daughter and her date, "Are you two leaving?" they nodded and he continued, "Darn and I was hoping Callie was staying tonight."

"What about me, Daddy?" Arizona's voice sounded a lot like an eight year old's.

"Nah, you could have gone back to campus," he grabbed her and pulled her into a hug to show he was joking. "When are you two coming back?"

"Eager to see me, Dad?"

"Not you…Callie," Arizona rolled her eyes as her father laughed.

"Because of that I won't be back for a while," the blonde retorted and Daniel hugged her tighter. "Okay…okay. I'll be back next week, just let me go."

He did as she asked and dropped a kiss on her blonde hair, "I'll see you then. Have a safe drive back up, okay?"

"Yeah."

They left the house after a round of hugs from everyone, including Christian and Robbie who had woken up because of the noise coming from the kitchen. Now they were walking towards Vernoff Hall, there was a light drizzle and a gentle breeze but that did not matter to either of the girls.

"I'm super happy that you enjoyed yourself today," Arizona said tugging on Callie's arm that her hand was wrapped around.

"You seemed to be having more fun than anyone else," Callie said.

"That's because most of the people I care about the most were there…because you were there," Arizona's words caused Callie to blush. The blonde slowed their pace, "Hey, look at me for a second." They stopped walking and Callie turned to face her, "I'm being honest, today was a million times better because you were there and I don't think I'm the only one who thinks so."

"I'm just happy I was able to be there and see you so happy. I've never seen you like that and it's a really beautiful sight," Callie said in a whisper.

"You're a beautiful sight," Arizona responded just as softly. She stood on her toes and pressed her lips to Callie's gently. She pulled back and looked into chocolate brown eyes, "You're more than beautiful." It was Callie's turn and without a word she dipped her head and allowed her lips to crash against the pink ones of the woman she was falling for.

Forget hugging Arizona, kissing her was way better. The former was really hard to top but the feeling of her lips against Arizona's did that quite easily and the gentle moans that escaped Arizona made it even better. Callie's tongue sought out access to the blonde's mouth and it was readily granted. The dance that their tongues engaged in was perfect, as though it was practice…as though they were fated to meet. Now this was amazing. Their lips parted and they stood grinning at each other.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that," Arizona said before bring her lips to meet Callie's again. This kiss was slow and easy…and over after ten seconds, much to the Latina's dismay. The pout that graced Callie's face made Arizona laugh, "I think we should get inside before we get wetter."

"You're talking about from the rain right?" Callie asked with a smirk wrapping her arm around Arizona's waist as they began walking again.

"Whichever you want it to mean Calliope," the blonde nudge Callie in the side gently.

"I'll take it as the rain then," Callie said with a kiss on the blonde's head.

Three minutes later she was knocking on Arizona and Teddy's room door. Teddy opened the door, "Hey Callie. Where's Arizona?"

"She went to the bathroom," Callie said looking down the hall. "She gave me her key but I didn't want to burst in on you."

"Oh it's fine," Teddy responded.

"Oh this is for you," she tried to hold out pie but it was not happening.

"Come on in," Teddy held the door open wider to allow Callie to pass through.

"Thanks," she stepped into the very clean and neat room; it was a huge difference from her and Addison's room that was bordering on dump. She placed the pies on Teddy's desk before separating hers and Arizona's. She looked at the perfectly made bed to the right side of the room, "How long does it take her to make it that perfect?"

"She's down to seven minutes now," Teddy said sitting on her bed. Callie looked around and opted to sit on the chair in front of Arizona's desk. "So how was the date?"

"It was good, her dad did a barbeque and we watched some movies," she left out the part about the kissing, if Arizona wanted her to know she would have to tell her herself.

The door opened, "Did – oh," Arizona walked into the room and closed the door, "You didn't leave."

Callie stood, "I was waiting until you got back."

Arizona smirked, "Well I'm back."

"Yeah…so I better be going…long day tomorrow and all," she walked across the room. "Bye Teddy."

"Later, Callie," Teddy replied lying on her bed.

Arizona followed Callie out the door but neither said anything for two minutes, they just stood there grinning at each other before Callie took it on herself and leaned forward to kiss Arizona once more, "Goodnight, Arizona."

"Goodnight, Calliope," another kiss and the Latina was gone.

Callie walked out of Vernoff and did not realize that it was actually raining now, she was too happy and overjoyed at how the day had gone. Nothing could take her off cloud nine.

**Thanks for reading guys. Leave a comment down below because they make me happy and we all want a happy author. *huge smile* thank you!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I never owned, do not own and will never own Grey's Anatomy (unfortunately) but I do own this story.**

**Hi guys! This last week has been hectic…I had to pack everything I own into two suitcases and make a one-way trip to the US. I only have a few days before I head north for college and I'm totally ready…oaky not totally. Fine…fine, enough about me. Here's the chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

Arizona slipped into the dimly lit room and sat at in the first seat at the back. She looked at the brightly lit stage and made out three persons up there…one who she wanted to talk to and another who she really wanted to see and talk to.

"È la giovin principiante. Non si picca - se sia ricca, se sia brutta, se sia bella; purché porti la gonnella, voi sapete quel che fa," Owen Hunt's voice bellowed through the hall leaving goose bumps on Arizona's arms.

"In Italia seicento e quaranta; in Almagna duecento e trentuna; cento in Francia, in Turchia novantuna; ma in Ispagna son già mille e tre," Callie sang and a smile spread across Arizona's face. To her there was not a sound in this world more beautiful than Callie singing…kay, maybe her laugh did beat it but it was a tight competition.

Owen put his arm around Callie's waist and she held on to his shoulder, "È la giovin principiante. Non si picca - se sia ricca, se sia brutta, se sia bella; purché porti la gonnella, voi sapete quel che fa," they sang together. The song ended when Callie placed her head on the man's shoulder. Bailey called them to the side and had a conversation with them before the three walked to the back of the theater.

Arizona stood up and met them, "Good evening, Professor Bailey, Owen." She gave Callie's cheek a kiss, "Good evening, Calliope." They all responded and she gave a bright dimply smile, "I've got something to show you guys…you too, Professor." She pulled out her phone and ran her fingers over the screen to unlock it. The first thing that came up was a video; she held the phone to Bailey and told her to click play.

A man's voice came through the device, "This one's for you Callie." This caused the Latina to look over Bailey's shoulder; Owen stood over the other shoulder and looked down at the phone. When the video ended they all looked up at her with surprised smiles.

"He did it," Callie said still surprised.

Arizona pocketed her phone and nodded, "He finally did it."

"This is great! This is…spectacular!" Bailey said, giddy with excitement. "We have a chance again…even though we always did but we can definitely get our trophy back!" She slapped Owen on the back and he looked down at her with a sheepish smile.

It had been two weeks since Christian had left the hospital and for a week he got up every morning and sat around his piano and just stared at it. Monday to Friday it was the same routine and it seemed to everyone who knew about it that it was not going to change. On Wednesday the Robbins had gone to visit him and his father and Arizona had sat beside him on his bench.

"_Hey, Uncle said I'd find you in here," the blonde began, dipping her head to look at his eyes. "How long have you been here?"_

_He looked up at the clock on the wall he was facing, "Three hours, seventeen minutes."_

"_Have you played anything," he shook his head. "Are you going to play anything?" he shook his head again. "'Xandy look at me," the use of his nickname caused the man to look at his cousin, "What's wrong?"_

_He took a deep breath, "I'm scared, 'Zonie." He looked away but not before Arizona saw the tears pooling in his eyes, "I'm scared that if I put my hands on the keys then nothing will happen."_

"_You can't know if you don't try," she tried to reason with him but he shook his head vigorously._

"_No, Z, you were there the first time I played, you saw how it happened. It just came to me…I was six and I played after hearing the song. How do you think it's gonna feel…what it's gonna do to me if eighteen years after that I can't play shit?" his tears fell down his cheek slowly. "How would you feel if someone told you that you couldn't play racquetball anymore? That after sixteen years of playing and falling in love with it every single time that you couldn't play?" There was nothing Arizona could say so she pulled him into a hug and the two sat there silently._

Now, two days later Christian sat at his piano again but this time was different. This time he played. He had sent Arizona a video of him playing a song, a song that she had heard Bailey play a few minutes ago. He had dedicated the video to Arizona and the song to Callie (she was going to kill him for that…but after they won the competition) and played the song that Callie and Owen were practicing for the competition. At the end of the video when his dark eyes looked into the camera again there were tears but Arizona could see that these fresh tears were not the same as the ones that she saw on Wednesday and she was immensely proud of her cousin.

"I think this calls for a celebration," Callie whispered in Arizona's ear. "I was gonna meet Mark and Addy at a party at Gund, want to join?"

"Sure babe," Arizona said with a smile.

Callie smirked and raised a perfect brow, "Babe?"

Arizona blushed, "Sorry."

"No, don't apologize," Callie said wrapping her arms around the blonde and placing a light kiss on her lips.

Half an hour later they walked into a packed game room in Gund Commons, somewhere off to her right Callie's name was shouted, Arizona turned around and saw Mark pushing his way through the crowd to get to them.

He stood in front of them with a goofy grin on his face and an opened bottle of beer in his hand, "There are the two lovebirds."

Callie took the bottle from him and took a sip, "Thanks Sloan."

"Hey, that's mine!" the man whined.

Callie shrugged and took a long drag, "Here's how this friendship works…what's yours is mine and what's mine is still mine…okay?"

Arizona laughed as Mark grumbled and complained about how he hard it was to get the beer in the first place, "Addison and Teddy are in the lounge." He turned around and left the two ladies.

Callie looked down at the woman beside her, "You want to get a drink before we head over there?"

Arizona shook her head, "If those two didn't have boyfriends I would be led to believe that they have a thing for each other." Callie laughed and led Arizona to the lounge on the other side of the building.

This room was also packed with students and extremely loud but Arizona had no problem picking out the blonde and the redhead in the crowd. She pointed them out to Callie and they made their way over.

"Hey guys," Arizona greeted their best friends.

"Hey," they chorused and Teddy scooted closer to Addison to make space for the two newcomers.

The redhead looked at them, "You guys had something to drink yet?" Callie held up her bottle and Addison nodded.

Teddy wrapped her arm around Arizona's shoulder, "They have some amazing jello shots, 'Z! We should so totally get some."

"I'm fine, Teds. You sound like you've had a few yourself."

The taller blonde shrugged, "One or two."

"One or two? Try six!" Addison said from beside her. "And that was after you had two and a half beers."

"What happened to the other half?" Callie asked.

"She spilled it on a guy who was hitting on her."

Teddy laughed, "You should have seen his face, 'Z! He was there complaining about how it was his favorite shirt and I'd gone and ruined it." She made a face, "Sucks to be him!"

Arizona chuckled, "Where's your boyfriend?"

"He went home 'because his sister's in town with his niece and nephew."

"And you didn't go?" Arizona asked.

"I don't like babies that much and it's not 'meet the family time' yet…although you guys got that out of the way from the first date," she pointed between the blonde and the brunette.

"Shut it, Altman." She leaned forward to look at the beautiful redhead, "Where's Sam?"

"I left him on the dance floor," she said nodding her head in the direction of the makeshift dance floor that was set up in the center of the room. Arizona looked around the room and saw the dark-skinned man dancing with a short brunette.

When she turned around Mark Sloan was standing in front of them with another beer in his hand, "Hello ladies," four pairs of eyes rolled in their sockets but the man chose to ignore this. He looked at Callie, "Hey Cal, Karev's been trying to call you out all evening…he wants to play round eight and I told him that you're not up for it but he wouldn't listen." Mark gestured in the direction of the other room with his bottle, "He's in there going on about how you're afraid to take him 'cause you know you're gonna lose and all."

Callie chuckled and stood up, "I would take him but my partner's tipsy."

"I'm not tipsy…I can still do it," Mark said shaking his head. He stopped and placed his free hand at his temple, "Ouch! That kinda hurts."

She patted his cheek, "Yeah, you're not gonna be helping me with anything tonight."

Arizona watched the exchange and watched Callie sit down once again after sending Mark to tell Alex no once more. She leaned in, "I can be your partner."

Callie looked at her surprised, "Do you even know what we're talking about?" The blonde nodded with a smile, "Okay, how good are you?"

"I've played a couple games before. I've lost them all but I think I'm pretty good. I can help, Calliope…I know I can," Arizona knew that she was heading into a ramble and cut herself off to start begging.

"I don't know, Arizona. I mean, I wanted to spend my evening with just you…not you, Alex Karev, Jackson Avery, a cue and sixteen balls," she held on to Arizona's hand when the blonde pouted. "If you pout I'm gonna kiss you."

"You can only kiss me if we're gonna play." Callie sighed and leaned over to kiss the smaller woman. Arizona smiled into the kiss before tearing her lips away from the Latina's and jumping of the couch pulling Callie behind her.

They walked into the game room once again and made their way to the pool tables located on the opposite side of the room. Arizona watched as Alex Karev sent the cue ball of the far edge only to have it ricochet off, hit the seven ball which went on to sink the four ball which was in its path.

He high-fived Jackson Avery with a smirk before looking at the far end of the table where Callie and Arizona were standing, "I got your message Torres. I knew you were too chicken to face me."

"What's the score, Karev?" Callie asked with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Four to three…you," he said and his smirk faltered just slightly.

"Exactly. So why would I be afraid of your sorry ass?" she asked raising a brow.

His smirk grew again, "Because you're afraid I'm gonna tie this up."

"Bring it, Karev. I'm playing with Robbins," she said tilting her head in Arizona's direction. It was in that moment that Arizona felt as though she had made the biggest mistake of her life. This game had been going on for seven weeks and with Callie as the defending champion from last semester she really did not want to screw this up.

Alex sneered, "Who? McPerky?" Jackson laughed along with him.

"McPerky?" Arizona whispered to Callie.

"Ignore it, he's trying to psych you out," she responded.

"Yeah. Mark's out and chose Arizona as his replacement."

By now everyone had their attention on the pool table. Everyone who was anyone on campus knew about the rivalry between Callie Torres and Alex Karev when it came to the game. If there was a ranking system at the university…and there probably was in one of the co-ed bathrooms on campus…Callie would be on top and Karev would be second. For them it was like Callie was the US women's soccer team and Karev was the Japan women's soccer team, you never know who will win under any circumstance. However, this time team US was not playing with their best…they had a rookie and that rookie was nervous as hell and Japan knew that.

"Alright let's go. I'm assuming your girl knows the rules," Alex said, catching the chalk cube that Avery threw to him.

"Let me just talk to her for a few minutes, okay?" Callie asked placing her hand on the small of Arizona's back.

"Take as long as you want, Torres; I'm still gonna whip your ass."

Callie led Arizona to the cue sticks that were lined up on the wall, "You're nervous."

"Yeah…I didn't remember how much this meant to you," Arizona said playing with her thumbs.

Callie gave her a chaste kiss, "We can still pull out now if you want."

"I want to play but I don't want to sacrifice the lead that you've got," Arizona said looking into Callie's eyes.

"Baby, it's fine. I don't care if we win or lose today…if you want to play then we'll play," Callie said with one of her stunning smiles.

Arizona wrapped her arms around Callie's neck and gave her a firm kiss, "You're the best."

"I know," Callie grinned. "Come on let's go play."

After a flip of a coin Callie broke, sinking the fourteen ball and the game was under way. The Latina sunk the next two balls before her attempt to pocket the ten ball failed.

Callie groaned as she watched the cue ball hit the ball but failed to send it to the pocket, "You're up, slimeball." Alex made a face at her and lined up his shot, sinking the six ball easily. He moved on to the two ball and barely failed to get it in.

It was Arizona's turn and the nerves returned tenfold. Callie placed her hand on her shoulder and leaned in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. Usually that would help but it did not in this situation. The blonde nervously spun her stick in her hands while her eyes scanned the board. Alex's last shot had left her in a difficult position with all the stripped balls on the table.

She narrowed her eyes on the ten ball that Callie had tried to sink, "You can do this, Robbins. You can do this. Just send it there, let it bounce off and you should be okay." Arizona did as she thought and sent the cue ball across the table hoping that it would follow her directions. It did not. The white ball simply hit one of Alex's and stopped.

The men laughed. Alex caught his breath, "You'd have had better luck with a drunk Sloan, Torres."

Arizona walked away from the table dejected and sat on her stool. Callie stood behind her, placed her hands on her shoulders and ran her hands up and down her arms. "Shut up, Karev. Avery, take your shot and hurry it up." The men snickered once again but Callie ignored them. She leaned down to whisper in Arizona's ear, "You okay?" the blonde nodded. Callie turned her slightly to look at her face but Arizona turned her head away. "Baby, I told you that I don't care if we win or lose…I just want to spend time with you."

"I had it planned out, Calliope. It was perfect in my head and then that happened! I know you said that it doesn't matter but I want to win," Arizona said finally turning to look at chocolate brown eyes.

Callie gave her a soft smile, "You'll get the next one. I promise."

Before Arizona could respond Alex shouted, "Yo Torres, are you coming to play or what?"

The woman took up her stick and walked over to the table. Seeing Callie like this did things to Arizona…good things…really good things. The way her brows furrowed and she bit on the corner of her lower lip when she was deep in concentration on her next shot was hot. The view of Callie's amazing cleavage that she got when the Latina lined up her shot drove her wild and she found herself wondering what those wonderful breasts felt like. How that perfect ass looked when she leaned over the table made the blonde want to take her right there and Arizona was surprised that she had not as yet.

A cheer erupted from the crowd and pulled Arizona's thoughts away from the woman that she was so close to claiming as hers. Callie had sunk two of the most difficult shots on the table and Arizona was sure that the brunette had just played a shot that only nudged one of her balls to make it hard for Karev. The man scowled at her and took his place at the table. Callie sauntered over to Arizona and gave the blonde a kiss on the lips before retaking her position behind her. They watched as Alex sunk three balls before sinking the cue ball on his fourth shot.

It was Arizona's turn and she was up before her name was even called. She looked at Callie who gave her a smile and a nod. Alex's misfortune was her blessing. She placed the cue ball in a position that gave her and easy shot and sunk it. She looked across the table and saw the bright and proud smile that Callie was giving her. Now some of the butterflies had gone and she was just a bit more confident in herself. She sunk another easy shot; all the stripped balls were in. She failed to sink the eight ball which was admittedly a more difficult shot. But that miss did nothing to deter her; she walked back over to Callie who was waiting for her with open arms.

Callie hugged her tightly, "I knew you'd do it, Mariposa." Arizona beamed up at her and planted a kiss on the other woman's lips.

Arizona turned around in Callie's arms and watched Jackson Avery sink the last solid all that was left on the table. The game was ending and everyone knew it. Avery had an easy shot on the eight ball and took it. It rolled painfully slowly down the table and into the pocket. Alex's team had won. There was a loud groan that went up from the crowd that had surrounded the four players.

"Oh shut up!" Alex shouted to the crowd. He walked over to the two women, "It's leveled Torres. Next game will be our last. So bring you're A-team."

Callie kissed Arizona's temple before she could say anything, "You were great today. I think next time I'll choose you to be my teammate again."

Arizona looked at her surprised, "Are you crazy?" She shook her head, "You need Mark…I never thought I'd hear myself say that but it's true. You. Need. Mark. Sloan."

Callie laughed and kissed the woman in her arms, "Okay, babe." She looked around them, "Let's get outta here." Arizona smiled and nodded.

The two walked out into the chilly Seattle night hand in hand. They walked silently and aimlessly for five minutes before Arizona decided to stop and sit on one of the benches that were located all over campus.

Callie wrapped her arm around Arizona's shoulder and the blonde cuddled into her side, "Yo elegiría otra vez sólo para ser capaz de ver esa hermosa sonrisa tuya. Usted es aún más hermosa cuando sonríes."

Arizona looked up at Callie surprised, "I have no idea what you just said but that was hot!"

Callie laughed, "I said 'I would choose you again just to be able to see that beautiful smile of yours. You're even more beautiful when you smile.'" Arizona smiled up at her with an amazing dimpled smile, "There it is." Callie leaned forward and captured the blonde's lips in a kiss.

"Si tu continues à m'embrasser de cette façon, alors je sourirai pour toujours," Arizona whisphered.

"Now that's hot," Callie said. Arizona simply smiled again. "So what? I don't get a translation?"

The blonde giggled, "If you keep kissing me like that then I'll smile forever."

Callie gave her a passionate kiss, "Okay, you can smile now." Arizona laughed and gave the Latina another kiss.

A few more minutes of silence passed between the women before Arizona broke it, "Callie?"

"Yeah?" dark eyes looked down into blue.

"Can I say something?" the blonde asked shyly.

"Um, yeah," Callie said. Sensing that there was something going on she turned around to look at Arizona fully.

Arizona took in a breath and began, "I…We…I don't know if you are and God I hope you aren't cause then that would be bad…really really super bad…okay maybe not that bad but I'd understand if you are –"

"Arizona…just say it," Callie said turning the blonde's eyes towards her.

She took another breath, "I don't want you dating other people."

Callie smiled brightly, "That's it?"

"Yeah." Arizona saw the look the brunette was giving her, "And you totally don't want that. I get it…it's fi –"

"Shut up, moron," she did as she was told and Callie continued, "There's no one else I'd rather be dating."

The blonde gave a huge smile, "Really?"

"Really," she leaned in to give Arizona a kiss before pulling back, "And I don't want you dating anyone else either."

"There's no one else, Calliope," she leaned forward and captured Callie's lips in the kiss that she was just denied.

'There's no one else,' she thought as their lips and tongues moved together.

**Now that you'e had your fill of MyMarine just leave me a little love in a comment/review. You know you want to *wink wink*. Have a great day everyone**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy, never did, never will (unfortunately!). The characters belong to Shonda Rhimes and ABC, I just bend them to my will.**

**Hi guys, guess who's back? Yeah I know, you only want to read the chapter, I'll let you do that in a moment. Just to let you know, this chapter marks the beginning of the end of this story, after that I'm focusing on El Regreso until something else hits me (yes, you read that correctly Cloee). So I want to thank everyone who has stuck by me and this story since its inception, I know i've said i before but the truth isn't going to hurt…you guys are all awesome! Okay fine, you and go read the chapter now. Enjoy!**

For once in as long as she could remember Callie was sitting in Biochem class and actually paying attention to Professor burke's lecture…well until he walked across the stage he was standing on and a certain blonde came into the woman's line of sight and whatever Burke was saying faded into white noise around her. She smiled as Arizona's loose curls bounced as she nodded along to what the man was saying before writing in her notebook, she suddenly stopped and looked up again with her brows scrunched in that cute way she does when she's trying to understand something. Callie had seen it numerous times when she and her partner worked with Arizona and Mark as they did their projects and counted down from five until that spark appeared in Arizona's eyes saying that she had grasped whatever it was. And it took exactly five seconds. In Callie's eyes the blond was a genius but each time Callie said that she brushed it off and said no she was not but it was true and Callie was confident that Arizona could be any kind of doctor she wanted to be and be really great at it. Her smile grew when Arizona smiled at something Burke said, she had not been lying when she tad her that she was even more beautiful when she smiled last week. Arizona had told her that her smile was 'super awesome' and that it brightens her world like the sun. For Callie even the small smile she was giving their professor brightened her world more than the sun did, it was that amazing. Arizona's smile faded and she went back to writing in her book before looking at Teddy who she had a short conversation with. The first day that Callie had really seen Teddy (the same day that she had first really seen Arizona as well) she had never pinned the taller blonde as someone she would be friends with but there she was playing softball together, planning girls' night, talk about Arizona and just generally hanging out with. People looking from the outside in would think that they only spend time together because Arizona has a thing for her and she is Teddy's best friend but that really was not the case, she enjoys spending time with the woman as much as she enjoys spending time with Addy and Mark and almost as much as she enjoys spending time with Arizona. She was happy and grateful that she had the kind of relationship with Teddy where they could actually be friends and not like the relationship that Addison and Mark tried to have with Erica. Every day since she had told Arizona yes to the date under Big Ben has she realized how lucky she was that someone like Arizona Robbins liked her, that she was able to be able to like someone…anyone again after what had happened to her and she was most thankful that Arizona's feelings for her did not change despite the cracks that were evident in Callie's life that anyone who knew her well enough could see.

Her phone vibrated in her bag causing her chair to shake gently and without taking her eyes off the blonde, whose wonderfully spectacular blue eyes were now focused on Burke, she reached into her bag and pulled it out. She saw a message from her sister. She unlocked it and read it, 'Hey Carmelita, we're flying in tomorrow. Mama doesn't want to fly commercial so we're taking Papa's plane and she said that I should tell you, "Tell Calliope that I am not going to be riding in that contraption she calls a car. I have no idea why Amando gave it to her." So yeah sis borrow Mark's car because Stephen's coming as well. Before I forget, I want to meet this guy that has you so enthralled and busy these days so bring him along. See you tomorrow! - Ari.' Callie chuckled and shook her head before replying, 'Well tell Dad thanks for telling me before instead of just showing up like the last time. Just tell send me a message or call when you're leaving Miami and i'll be there. If Stephen's coming then I can't bring this person that you really want to meet so badly and choir practice is what''s had me so busy recently. - Cal'

Callie looked up at Burke, the smile gone from her face. "Shit finals," she whispered. Burke had just announced that their finals would be in the next three weeks and that their research project would only be twenty per cent of their final course grade. "Well there goes my plan to watch movies after practice…and this weekend with Arizona," she sighed. Between her parents, practice and her upcoming exams her time to spend with the blonde was almost down to none.

"Alright that's it. Have a great weekend and I'll see you all next week," Burke said closing his briefcase.

Callie, Mark and Addison packed their bags while they waited for Arizona and Teddy to make their way to the door. When the two women arrived the three friends stood.

Arizona smiled at Callie, "I could feel you staring at me."

The Latina smirked, "It wasn't 'cause you're cute." Callie held the door open for her friends to pass through.

"Oh but I think that's the real reason," Arizona answered walking through.

After Mark had walked through she let it go and caught up to Arizona once again, "someone's a bit cocky."

"I'm not cocky. I'm awesome, adorable and sexy and I want everyone to know that," the shorter woman responded.

"That's because my awesomeness and sexiness rubbed off on you," Callie hip checked the blonde as they walked out of the building.

Arizona shook her head and chuckled, "I think it's the other way around, honey."

Callie stepped behind Arizona and wrapped her hands around her waist before kissing her cheek, "Cariña, you are so mistaken but yes I was staring at you because you're stunning." Arizona smiled, turned to look at the woman on her shoulder and kissed her.

"Oh come on you two!" Teddy said from behind them. "Don't you ever get tired of doing that?"

They broke apart and Arizona spoke, "Never." She leaned in and kissed Callie again, smiling as she did so.

"You guys need to get a room…but not mine," Teddy said to them when they parted again.

"Not mine either," Addison spoke up from beside her.

"You guys can use mine any time you want," Mark had a huge grin on his face.

Arizona looked at him disgusted, "You're a perv, Mark."

"He continued grinning, "Thank you."

Callie fell in step with the blonde and held her hand, "I'm gonna need as much time with you between the time that practice ends this evening and the time I go pick up my parents tomorrow."

"Your parents are coming?" three voices asked at the same time.

Callie looked at Arizona, Mark and Addison, "Yeah. Aria sent me a message while we were in class."

Mark held the door opened for them as they walked into Pierce, "What time are they getting here?"

Callie turned around and walked backwards in order to look at the group walking behind her, "I dunno. I told Aria to call me when they're leaving…and I need to borrow your Edge."

"Why can't your T-Bird carry them?" Mark asked.

"Because my mother refuses to 'ride in the contraption I call a car's," she said doing the air quotes.

Mark and Addison laughed, "You totally sound like Lucia."

She laughed as well and continued in the same voice, "Marcus, how on earth are you not married to my Calliope as yet?" Callie saw the look Arizona gave her and the man at the comment, "My mother believes that Mark would make the perfect husband for me. Pity she doesn't know his true colors and that he's so not my type."

"Your parents don't know that you're gay?" Teddy asked shocked.

Callie turned around to walk beside them and shook her head, "Nope. I mean I haven't known for that long either but no I haven't told them…any of my family actually." She looked at Arizona, "My sister wants to meet you."

Arizona nodded, "But your sister thinks I'm a guy, right?"

"Yeah," Arizona nodded again before walking ahead of everyone else, forgoing a tray and joined a line. Callie knew that it was not because the blonde was really hungry and she let out a sigh.

"She's not happy," Mark observed.

Callie glared at him, "You don't think I've recognized that?" he shrugged and took up a tray.

She did not meet up with Arizona again until she sat at the table that Cristina waved her, Mark, Teddy and Addison over to. Everyone took a seat but left the empty chair beside Arizona for the Latina. The blonde did not look up when Callie sat and now all their friends knew something was wrong. Cristina opened her mouth to say something but an elbow from Mark and an extremely intense glare from Callie in front of her she kept her quiet.

The few minutes of silence was maddening for everyone present and so Derek decided to break it, "So we still on for the movie tonight? Torres and Hunt, you guys have practice tonight, right?"

Owen nodded, "Yeah, we're going till nine tonight though."

"No problem, we can start whenever you guys get there," Derek said poking between the two choristers.

Callie shook her head, "I don't think I'll be able to make it. I got a lot of stuff to do over the next three weeks and my schedule is kinda packed right now, I need all the extra time I have to sleep or whatever."

"Torres, you're lame!" Alex shouted from her left.

She shrugged it off and glanced at Arizona who was yet to even make eye contact, "Finals are in three weeks and these two weeks that are coming up are gonna be hectic so I'm sorry guys."

"So that means you're pulling out too, Robbins?" Alex asked.

She looked up at the man, "No I'm still coming. Wouldn't miss it," she gave him one of her small smiles and Callie wished that even that was directed at her. Aria thinking she was a guy had really pissed the blonde off and Callie knew she had to find a way to get back in Arizona's good graces.

"Come on Cal! Finals are in three weeks, your competition thing is in two, you've got one week with nothing but practice. And we all know that with the Torres Method you can study everything in the week that we have finals and still get better grades than everyone but me," Cristina said.

"What's the Torres Method?" Teddy asked. Meredith turned to her to explain.

Callie shook her head, "My parents and sister are coming tomorrow which means that this week will be spent between their hotel, practice and I have to start studying even with The Method." Everyone noticed that there was no mention of the blonde beside her in her things to do list.

"The Torres' are coming?" Cristina asked and Callie nodded. "Holy shit! What are you going to do?"

"about what?" Callie asked, unsure of what the Korean woman in front of her was talking about.

"I'm betting all my money, my mom's and my stepdad's that your family doesn't know anything about Blondie," Callie saw Arizona's hand clench her fork tighter for a brief second.

Callie noticed that the table had gone quiet and everyone was looking in her directing, some more overtly than others, "No they don't."

There was a quiet murmur all around and Arizona looked away. Cristina spoke again, "So are you going to tell them?"

"I should," Callie answered. She had the attention of the table again. Everyone knew the Torres family and how strictly religious and pious they were and even more than that everyone knew their stance on homosexuality. "Aria already knows that there's someone but she doesn't know everything."

"So your parents are coming to see you perform and be proud of you and you're going to drop it on them that you and McPerky are bumping uglies. Nice! Someone should record that and give it to me...better yet I want to be there to see it firsthand," Cristina said excitedly.

"Shut up, Yang and they'll be fine with it," Callie knew that she was trying to convince herself more than her smirking friend in front of her. "What?"

"You are talking about Carlos and Lucia Torres, two of the most well-known anti-homosexual Republicans in the state of Florida," Cristina retorted.

"I know who my parents are, Cristina but I'm there daughter they have to accept me for who I am, right?" Callie said looking at Cristina and Owen beside her.

"And if they don't," Mark asked from down the table.

Callie looked at the faces of her friends, she really had no idea what she would do. She loved her parents to death and being rejected by them was not something she wanted. Cristina pushed away her plate, "If they meet Blondie and they don't like her then you can totally tell them that you two broke up over it." There were whispers of no's and head nods from around the table.

"But I don't plan to," when she had said that was the first time that Arizona looked at her in the fifteen minutes since she had sat down.

"Wow, Cal's grown some balls. You two won't actually break up…you'll just tell your parents that you are so they'll leave you alone."

Callie shook her head slightly, "Isn't that lying though?"

"Kinda but do you want to continue with your lady loving or what?" Cristina asked with her hands behind the back of her head.

Callie thought it over for a minute, "If I do that I get them out of my hair and be the perfect daughter that I was and keep my relationship and all I have to say is that Arizona and I broke up."

The blonde laughed, "I can't believe you!" she pushed back her chair roughly, grabbed her plate and backpack before storming out of the dining hall without looking back. Almost every pair of eyes were focused on the woman as she marched out of the room.

"Damn Cal, you can't catch a break with her today, can you?" Mark said.

Callie groaned and put her head on the table, "Fuck!" she shook her head, she had totally screwed up this time. She knew she should not have listened to Cristina, her plan would have been successful but there was no way she could have done it. She neither wanted to lie to her parents nor did she want to put Arizona in that situation and the truth was something that she did not want under any circumstance. She groaned once more before pushing back her own chair, throwing her bag over her shoulder, taking up her tray and leaving the dining hall. She stood outside Pierce and took a breath of humid Seattle air, normally she would think about how the weather would affect her hair but now she had more pressing matters…she had to find Arizona and explain herself. She knew where the blonde would be but she had left almost ten minutes before and so she would not be there yet so that left one place for Arizona to be.

Seven minutes later she was standing in the elevator in the Vernoff Residence Hall as it rose to the third floor. She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for the ding. It finally sounded and she stepped out of the elevator just in time to see a flash of blonde hair disappear around the corner towards the stairs.

She rounded the corner as well, "Arizona stop." She felt a serious case of deja vu coming along.

The blonde stopped and her shoulders sagged, "I can't believe you did that, Calliope." She turned around, "I thought we were serious…that we were going somewhere but now I see that I was wrong." Callie called her name again but the blonde held up her hand to silence her. "If you want out then you should just have the guts to say so, I can take it. You know, maybe this is just a fling that's run it's course, maybe it's over."

Callie closed her eyes, that last one hurt, "Arizona, would you shut up? Just shut up!" the other woman looked shocked that she had been silenced. Callie stalked closer to her, "I do not want out. I'm in this and you should know that I was not going to go along with Cristina's horrible advice. If you had stayed around long enough you would have known that but you left…again. You really need to stop doing that," Arizona opened her mouth to speak but Callie beat her to it, "No, I'm talking now. I want you to meet my family and whether they accept me…us…or not, i don't care because there is no way that I'm denying what we have, Arizona."

Arizona let the case that her racquetball equipment was in fall to the ground along with her bag, "And Aria? Why haven't you told her that I'm not a guy?"

"Because I don't want her to prejudge you. I want her to see you for who you without having any biases because you're a woman. I did that to you already and it was just wrong and shouldn't have happened but I want my family to see you the way I see you…without the gender issue because you would still be the same wonderful person I fell for even if you were a guy and my feelings for you wouldn't change because you're amazing both inside and out and I want them to see that too," Callie was impressed by her speech.

Arizona nodded, "You thought about not telling them, didn't you?"

"Initially, yes but then I realized that I don't want to hide us from anyone…not even my family because you shouldn't be kept a secret…what we have is too good to be hidden; so I'm going to tell them and introduce you to them."

"Tomorrow night," Arizona said, stooping to pick up her bag and case.

"What?" Callie asked.

"I want to meet them tomorrow night," the blonde said with finality.

"Um, tomorrow tomorrow?" she really hoped that Arizona remembered something that she had to do because tomorrow was too soon.

"Yes, Calliope. Tomorrow, as in Saturday," the blonde said rolling her eyes.

"Oh…okay," Callie nodded. Arizona walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek before turning and leaving down the flight of stairs. "Okay. It's no big deal, Torres; they'll love her, they have to, she's adorable." She groaned and kicked at nothing, "I'm so screwed."

**That's this chapter guys. Leave me a little love in a comment or review. I must tell you guys that updates may not be every Wednesday like they have been for the past three weeks because I'm a college kid now and so I got all this to figure out but I promise that I'll keep writing (if only to keep my sanity) and try to give regular updates. So thanks for reading and have a good day, remember to write your review/comment below.**

**My Twitter is still open for anyone who wants to follow this story or El Regreso. It's AriFan07**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy, never did, never will (unfortunately!). The characters belong to Shonda Rhimes and ABC, I just bend them to my will.**

**I promised an update today so here it is…I know it's already tomorrow for like half of the world. First week of college done and I am feeling good so my friends and I had a random dance/sing party in our dorm that ended a few minutes ago. I'll stop talking about myself now and let you get to the story. Yeah I'm a brat…I know. Thanks to Cloee for just being Cloee :D**

The room was tense. Carlos Torres had just bellowed his disapproval of Callie's 'choices' to her face and Arizona's as well. The words still rang clear in the blonde's ears, 'You have dishonored yourself and this family!' and then all was quiet. Everyone in the room avoided eye contact with each other, Carlos most of all but the man continued to bore holes into his daughter's face and ignore the woman by her side. It was then that she realized why Cristina had said what she had said at lunch the day before and why Callie was so hesitant in their drive to the hotel and as they rode the elevator to the topmost floor. They both knew this would happen…they were afraid that it would happen. Arizona looked up at Callie and saw unshed tears glistening in her eyes and it broke her heart. Her own parents had accepted her when she came out to them at fourteen…they had embraced it actually. She had never known what it felt like to be rejected because of her sexuality but here she was standing beside the woman she had fallen so hard for as her parents berated her for the 'choices' she made and 'the sinful way she had chosen to live her life'. It was sad, it was pitiful and it made Arizona angry. She knew everyone was different and people were entitled to their own opinions but to tell your child that she has dishonored herself and her family because she chose to be in a relationship with another woman is wrong…full out wrong and now Arizona was standing watching Carlos Torres disown his child. Lucia had stood silent for the encounter, Aria still had not picked up her jaw from the floor and her boyfriend, Stephen, had disappeared into a corner of the room when the older man had started shouting.

Everyone was startled when Carlos' deep voice echoed through the silent room, "I knew I shouldn't have allowed you to move away from Florida. You leave the safety of our home and and church and this is what you become? This is a sin, Calliope. You and whatever it is your friend have is a sin and I cannot stand here and watch you condemn yourself to a life in hell."

Callie's eyes narrowed and she shook her head slowly, "Whatever we have is called a relationship, father. Arizona and I are in a relationship and whether you want to accept it or not that's the way that it's going to be. You can condemn me to all the hells you want but this relationship is not going to end because you want it to."

"Calliope I raised you better than this," Carlos said, rage igniting in his eyes.

"You raised me in your image…you raised me to be you," Callie said calmly. "I grew up seeing you love my mother with everything you have. I've seen you love her more than you love your company and that was what I always wanted. I didn't care about taking over your businesses all I ever wanted that you have was the ability to love someone as much as you love Mama and I've found it. Yeah I didn't find it in someone that you'd want but I found it and to me that's the most important thing. I love Arizona. I'd love her even if she was a guy because it's what's inside of her that I love…that makes me happy and I thought that you'd be content with me being happy but I was wrong."

Arizona looked up at Callie surprised. She knew it but neither of them have ever said it. Callie had admitted to her parents that she loved Arizona before she had admitted it to the blonde herself. She smiled because she really wanted to say it to her as well but looked in the direction that Callie was staring and remembered where she was and what was being discussed.

"You let the devil get inside of you, Calliope. I raised you…my only legitimate daughter…to take over my business. I had great plans for you Calliope, you were the next CEO of Torres Inc., you were going to marry a successful man and give me three wonderful nietos to spoil," Carlos said sounding sad.

"You can't dictate my life! I was your little puppet for seventeen years but I can't be your puppet anymore. You have to accept that I'm not going to marry a man and if that prevents me from taking over your business then that's the way life is. I'm just not going to let you run my life anymore. I'm an adult, Papi, I can make my own decisions and I decide to be with Arizona," Callie gestured to the woman beside her.

"You are going to regret this, Calliope," he was angry. Arizona had to admit that an angry Carlos Torres was almost as scary as an angry Daniel Robbins.

Callie threw her hands into the air, "What are you gonna do, huh Papi? Block my trust fund? Clear out my bank account? That's all you have over me…money."

"It saddens me that I never realized how ungrateful and selfish you are. Now more than ever I am convinced that being away from your family and your church has changed you…has corrupted you," he glanced at Arizona before looking back at his daughter.

Callie chuckled unbelievingly, "I'm ungrateful? I'm selfish?" She pointed at him, "You want me to give up the best relationship I have ever had to please you and your ideals. I am not the one who is selfish here, father…you are." Callie allowed her head to fall and broke Carlos' gaze for the first time in minutes. Her long dark hair formed a curtain, preventing Arizona from seeing her face but the sniffling that came from behind the curtain made it obvious what was happening. Arizona placed a gentle and calming hand on the Latina's arm. Callie looked up again and the tears that were glistening in her eyes were now rolling down her cheeks, "I haven't been corrupted. Even though it ended badly my relationship with Erica made me feel better…it made me feel like myself," there was a sharp intake from Lucia, the only sound she had made since Callie had introduced Arizona as her girlfriend. "I've never felt more alive…more like me when I was with a guy and Erica are me realize why. And Arizona, she's wonderful…she's amazing," despite her tears Callie had a huge smile on her face, "I'm not afraid to be myself when I'm with her. Because of her I know what love is…I know what it's supposed to feel like and you want me to give that up just to make you and a priest who doesn't even know me happy?"

"If you don't want to make me happy then make your Lord happy because right now I'm sure he is not happy with you, Calliope," Carlos said.

"No, don't bring God into this," Callie said shaking her head again.

"God has to be in this. He is the one who will judge you for your sin," the pious Carlos Torres that was spoken of at lunch the day before was coming to the fore.

"Exactly Papi, God will judge me. Not you or whichever priest you left down in Miami. This is about me and God. The God that I have prayed to every night and every morning since you taught me how to and you know what? I don't pray that he forgives my so called sin of being with Arizona…no, I pray and thank him for bringing her into my life because she is the best thing that has happened to me in a really long time."

Carlos opened his mouth to say something to Callie but changed his mind. He turned his head slightly to look at his wife who was standing on his left, "Lucia get my phonebook I need to give Father Michael a call." She did not move, she did not look at him either, her eyes were trained on her daughter and use wore the same look that Callie sported when she was deep in thought. Carlos tried again, his patience with his wife growing dangerously thin, "Lucia, the phonebook."

She shifted her gaze from Callie's teary brown eyes to her husband's steely brown eyes, "No."

"Excuse me?" he said and now all eyes were on her.

"No. How can you be so blind to it? Look at her when she talks about Arizona and tell me when you have ever seen her so happy," Lucia said looking between Callie and Carlos.

"She was happy when she was at home with us. I think that's where she needs to be to get rid of whatever is inside of her," Carlos said, his anger at Lucia rising with each word. He looked over her shoulder, "Aria, get me my phonebook, I think Father Michael needs to have a talk with both your sister and your mother." The older Torres sister looked at Callie, Arizona and her mother with sorry eyes before tentatively doing as her father said. She returned a minute later clutching the medium sized black leather book and handed it to him.

Callie laughed as he flipped through the pages, "You think you can pray away the gay?" she continued laughing but Arizona did not see what was so funny in the situation. Her laughter suddenly stopped and she looked at him sternly, "You can't pray away the gay!"

Carlos looked at her annoyed, "Calliope stop this nonsense. You are a Torres you are not…" he faltered.

"Gay?" Callie supplied. "I am a Torres and you know what else? I am gay. And where did you get this notion that Torres' aren't gay? Your brother is gay. Did you really believe that Andrés was really just one of Uncle Berto's college friends who needed somewhere to sleep?" she laughed again when he did not answer. "It's all around you, Papi and it's sad that you haven't accepted it but I have and I've embraced it. I. Am. Gay."

"Get out," his tone was even and he looked menacing. Arizona was ready to bolt for the door but Callie was not moving. "Get out!" Carlos repeated pointing to the door. "I am not going to have you stand in front of me and flaunt your sin in my face so you and your friend can leave."

"Carlos…" Lucia tried but he silenced her with a raised hand.

"This is unacceptable, Lucia and you are just as wrong as they are. How can you accept the filthy way they live their lives?" he looked at her through the corner of his eye.

"Wow," Callie said. "I can't believe that I actually thought that you guys would accept me. I should have known better." She looked at Arizona who was staring bug-eyed at her father, "Come on, let's go." She walked over to the elder Torres' and Carlos promptly moved away from her as though she had the plague. Callie embraced her mother and planted a kiss on her cheek, "Gracias mamá y yo te llamo más tarde."

"Sí, mi'ja," Lucia said returning the kiss. She hugged Aria and whispered something in her ear causing the shorter Latina to nod, Callie smiled at her before moving on to Stephen who she gave an awkward hug before going back to stand beside Arizona. Lucia did something that no one was expecting. She walked up and gave the blonde a hug, "It was nice meeting you, Arizona and I wish everything had turned out better." She pulled out of the hug and Arizona saw one of the most genuine smiles she had ever seen on anyone.

She returned the smile, "It was nice to meet you too, Mrs. Torres and I wish everything had turned out better too." Aria and Stephen came up to say goodbye as well and if Carlos did not know it before he sure knew it now, his family was not standing with him on this one.

When the hugs and well wishes were over Callie looked at her father again, "Goodbye, father. I hope heaven is all you want it to be." with a final smile at the other three people in the room she took Arizona's hand, turned and left the room.

Arizona watched as Callie closed the door gently behind her. All the tension that marred her beautiful face a few minutes ago was gone and replaced by what looked like trepidation. She had never been in the situation before and so she could only sympathize with her. Arizona stepped up and wrapped her arms around Callie's waist, pulling the Latina into her. Callie held on to Arizona tightly and let her head fall into the crook of Arizona's neck. She inhaled deeply and then her body shook with the silent sobs that escaped her. Arizona closed her eyes; she felt useless. Here Callie was, being rejected by the person that meant the world to her and all she could do was hold her and whisper that it would be alright. Maybe that was enough…hopefully that was enough. After two extremely long minutes Callie's grip on the back of Arizona's blouse loosened and she lifted her head. Soulful, sad brown eyes looked down into blue for a few seconds before Callie leaned in and planted a not so chaste kiss on Arizona's lips. The kiss ended and Arizona opened her eyes to see more tears rolling down from behind Callie's closed eyelids. She reached up a gentle hand, cupped Callie's cheek and wiped it away. The Latina gave a small smile and leaned into the touch.

Arizona spoke and her voice came out in a whisper, "You want to head back to campus now? You can go to bed…sleep this off or whatever you want to do." Callie nodded. With her free hand she found Callie's and led them down the hall and outside the hotel.

The drive back to campus was silent. Callie had allowed Arizona to drive her car, something that no one had ever done before, while she sat staring out the window. Arizona did not want to push her. She had pushed her enough already; she had insisted that Callie introduce her to the Torres' and that was what had caused this major fiasco. Maybe Cristina's plan was for the best. She glanced over at Callie, no it was not but she could not help feeling selfish for allowing Callie to chose her over her family.

When the lights of the on campus chapel came into view, Callie spoke her first words in over half an hour, "Can we go to Vernoff? I don't want to be alone tonight."

Arizona slowed the car and looked at Callie, she was still staring out the window but from the little she could see Arizona knew the look of defeat and dejection that she was wearing, "Okay."

They drove for five more minutes before Arizona turned off into the parking lot that was behind her dorm. She parked but did not get out of the vehicle. She watched as Callie's mind caught up with her surroundings and she exited without a word. The Latina walked up the stairs that led to the door, swiped her card and walked in without looking back. Arizona sighed, removed the keys from the ignition and followed Callie inside. She found her sitting outside her door, her hands hanging between her knees. Callie did not look up as Arizona approached her.

The blonde was still feeling responsible for what had happened…for Callie feeling the way she did. Arizona opened the door to her room, "Oh my God!" Callie looked up at her outburst.

"Arizona! I…we thought -" Teddy stammered.

Arizona covered her eyes, "No, save it; I really don't care to know."

"You can uncover your eyes now," Teddy said. Arizona did and was grateful to see a shirted Henry, who was no longer hovering over her best friend and roommate, blushing. "I didn't know that you'd be back so early or I would have told you."

Arizona sighed, the weight of everything that happened earlier falling on her shoulders once again. "If you guys want to finish whatever you were doing can you please use Henry's room? I know this is going to sound selfish but Calliope isn't doing to well and she wants to stay here tonight."

Teddy stood up, "Is she sick?" Arizona shook her head and looked down to where Callie was sitting by the door. Arizona made eye contact with Teddy again and the taller blonde nodded. She walked past Arizona and stooped beside Callie, "Hey, didn't go too well?" Callie shook her head before looking down the hall, trying to avoid the piercing grey eyes of their friend. Teddy put her hands on Callie's shoulders and ran them over her arms, "It's gonna be fine…everything's gonna be just fine, okay?" She stood up and looked at Henry who was now standing beside Arizona, "Come on, we can go to your room." She looked at Arizona as she walked past holding her boyfriend's hand, "All night?"

The shorter woman shrugged, "I'll send you a message or call you."

"Okay," when she was passing Callie she placed her hand on the Latina's head and ran her hands through her hair.

Arizona stood looking at Callie who had resumed staring at the wall. "Calliope," she held out her hand when Callie looked at her. The brunette took her hand, stood up and followed Arizona into the room. "Go lie on the bed."

"Come with me," Callie said holding Arizona's hand tighter and urging her to lie beside her.

Arizona let go of Callie's hand and went to stitch out on her perfectly made bed, she opened her arms to allow Callie to fit beside her on the small bed. The Latina complied and molded her back to the blonde's front and Arizona's arms wrapped around her body and held the woman to her. She inhaled the jasmine scent that was Callie's new choice of shampoo for the past week and closed her eyes. "If I knew that it would turn out like this I wouldn't have in sited that you introduce me to them."

"Don't blame yourself, none of this is your fault. My father is just a bigoted…man," Callie said pulling Arizona's arm around her tighter. "I'm actually not surprised that he didn't accept it, what I'm surprised by is that my mother didn't have any problem with us."

"But he's your father Calliope. You love him more than anyone else in your life," Arizona said, propping her head up on one arm and looking down at Callie.

"And I still love him but I can't see him in the same light if he refuses to accept that you are in my life now," Callie said quietly.

Arizona did not respond for a minute, she just lied there looking at Callie's face. When she spoke she said the only thing that had been running through her mind for the past minute, "I love you too."

Callie turned around, her brows furrowed until she realized why Arizona had said it, "I'm sorry I didn't say it to you first. I was just going on and I shouldn't have told my father before I-"

"Stop talking," Callie did as she was told, "I wouldn't have it any other way, Calliope. You stood up to your father for our relationship and you told him what was coming from your heart and what came out was that you love me so I think that that was the perfect way for you to tell me." Arizona leaned over and pressed her lips to Callie's temple.

Callie smiled genuinely, "Your sense of perfection is weird."

"I don't think you're weird, Calliope," Arizona said with a smile.

Callie laughed and rolled her eyes, "I'm not perfect either."

"You're perfect for me and that's enough," Arizona said and she was rewarded with a resounding kiss from her girlfriend. When they separated Callie was still smiling, "So do you feel better?"

Callie thought for a while, "I feel better knowing that we're more secure but I think my relationship with my dad is on the rocks or is ready to jump off the cliffs onto the rocks."

"Callie you know that all I want is for you to be happy so I'll support you in whatever you choose to do," Arizona said looking into deep chocolatey eyes.

Those chocolatey eyes bore into blue, "In this situation I can't be happy on both sides without someone feeling rejected and I'm not giving up on us."

"But he's your father - " Arizona began.

"He was not acting like a father, Arizona. Fathers accept their daughters despite anything. Fathers don't judge, Arizona."

"Families judge, Callie. That's what they do but that doesn't mean that they don't want the best for you," Arizona tried to reason with the Latina but she could see that it was not going to be easy.

"He rejected me…he rejected you and damned us to hell," Callie said giving Arizona that 'are you crazy?' look.

"I don't care Callie. What I care about is what's happening now, I can't control tomorrow and neither can your father so I don't care what he says will happen, I care about what he thinks of my girlfriend because all I want is for her to be happy and he makes her happy," Arizona said.

"Why are you talking about me in third person?" Callie asked. Arizona stared at her. The brunette sighed, "I want his approval. I'm not proud to say that but it's what I want."

"Then go get it," Arizona said. Callie rolled her eyes, "Seriously go get it. If you want I can talk to him for you."

Callie laughed disbelievingly, "What would you tell him?"

Arizona knew what she would say. It was everything that she was thinking while she watched Carlos berate his daughter…her girlfriend for her choices. "I'd tell him that his daughter is who he raised her to be. Strong." she kissed Callie chastely. "Caring," one more. "Honorable," another kiss. "And that she's who he raised her to be," instead of Arizona leaning down to kiss Callie, a tanned hand found it's way to fair cheek and pulled pink lips down. The kiss was anything but chaste.

When the need for oxygen overpowered them they separated. "You're amazing, you know that? No, you're perfection, that's what you are."

"I'm far from perfect but if this is all you need then I'll gladly be your model of perfection because you're all I need," she placed a kiss on the corner of Callie's lips.

Callie really was all she needed.

**Well that's it for this chapter, leave me a little love…and maybe some motivation before my rugby game tomorrow…in the comments. Thanks for reading like always, you guys and gals are still super amazing. Super**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I am yet to own this show or the characters…but it's on my list of things to do before a Shonda-like god kills me off too.**

**I deserve the entirety of your wrath, I know. I'm sorry for not updating in weeks; between classes, assignments, papers, rugby and a massive writer's block (actually it seems my muse was focused on my assignment papers), I haven't been able to write and I'm so sorry for that. Now, this isn't a long chapter (and really it should be) but I hope y'all still enjoy it.**

**Happy reading…hopefully.**

Callie was exhausted. It was only four in the afternoon and her body was already aching to be in bed and be finished with the day. She had just finished her first of two practice sessions with Bailey for the day and was heading to find Arizona so they could have dinner. It had become their 'thing' over the course of their relationship where one day out of the week they would have dinner together…alone. Sometimes it required dressing up but most times it was at a casual restaurant or at the pizza place a few blocks off campus. Today was the latter and Callie was thankful for that because she was unsure whether she could manage to walk to her room and back before walking almost three blocks. Shielding her phone's screen from the glare of the sun, Callie sent an instant message to her girlfriend.

_Rockstar: Is your lab finished?_

_The_Marine: Yes and I'm in your room._

_Rockstar: Why? I thought we agreed to meet in front of Lewis._

_The_Marine: We did but I think you should come to your room first…it's kinda important._

Callie was experiencing a mixture of worry and suspicion.

_Rockstar: Why? Is everything okay? Are you okay?_

Her feet were moving much faster than they were a few seconds ago and any feeling of tiredness was being numbed by adrenaline.

_The_Marine: Calliope stop asking questions and just get here. If something were wrong with me I'd have told you._

_Rockstar: Then can you tell me what's so important?_

_The_Marine: I am going to end this conversation after this; just get here quickly._

_Rockstar: Someone's bossy today. I hope you now that you're going to pay for making me walk this quickly._

Arizona remained true to her word and did not send another message after her last. Three minutes later Callie was opening the door to her room, "You know not all of us are – " she stopped when she saw who was in the room with her girlfriend. "Mama?" The elder woman stood up and walked towards Callie, "Uh, what are you doing here?"

Lucia hugged her younger daughter; "I came to see you, darling." Callie hugged her mother and looked over the shorter woman's shoulder at the blonde for an explanation.

"I was walking to Lewis when I saw her standing in front of the library so I decided to carry her here," Arizona explained with a cautious smile.

Callie pulled away and held her mother by the shoulders, "How did you get here?"

The older Latina waved her hands dismissively, "I asked one of the drivers at the hotel to give me a ride here. Your father left last night, you know."

The younger Latina looked at her confused, "What do you mean by he left?"

"He just up and took his briefcase with him. He said he was going back to Miami to meet with someone," Lucia said calmly. Callie's hands fell from her mother's shoulders and made their way through her own hair.

"Well is he coming back?" she had not spoken to her father in almost a week. It felt unnatural but when he decided to condemn her to eternal hell fire because of her lifestyle choices it seemed like the best route to take.

"He didn't say he was," Lucia said softly. She used to herself, "Then again he didn't say he wasn't." She looked up at Callie, "I'm not sure."

"Doesn't this bother you, Mama?" Callie asked surprised at how calm her usually feisty mother was.

"Yes and no. Your father was never one to disclose his work life with me, even though three quarters of the hotels he owns are from my family. But his decision to leave seemed rash; usually before meeting with someone he'd spend hours on the phone; this time he just up and left," Lucia said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Callie nodded, her mother was right, before closing a deal Carlos would spend at least a week on the phone constantly, "Okay. Where did Aria and Stephen go?"

"They're out exploring the town, speaking of which, Arizona told me that you two were going to dinner. I guess I'll be heading back to the hotel then."

Before Callie was able to show her mother to the door Arizona intervened, "Why don't you come to dinner with us?" Thankfully her mother was looking at the blonde because Callie would not have liked the elder woman to see the 'are you out of your mind?' face that Arizona was receiving. "That would be great, right Calliope?"

Her face morphed into the 'you must be kidding me' look before smiling down at her mother, "Uh, yeah…but we were going to get pizza. Are you okay with that?"

Lucia waved her hand, "I'm fine with anything. You two go have dinner, it'll be like I'm not even there."

"Sure, Mama," Callie said under her breath ushering her mother and her 'in a whole lot of trouble' girlfriend out the door.

Ten minutes later the three women were walking through the doors of Juani's Pizza. The fairly small building was almost filled to capacity with students from the university and residents of the surrounding city but they found a table close to the back. During the short time they had spent together Callie noticed how easily Lucia and Arizona interacted, laughing and joking with each other, and it made her smile. It was still shocking to everyone how easily and quickly Lucia had accepted that her daughter was with another woman. Cristina had in her own sweet way voiced everyone's thoughts the day after Arizona met the Torres family, "I thought there would have been an all out war! I'm surprised that Mama Torres didn't bitch slap her and drag her ass from here to hell and back." Cristina was right; it was one of the most surprising reactions from the woman…ever.

They sat at the table, Lucia allowing the women to sit beside each other while she sat across from the couple. Callie handed her the list of toppings that Juani's had to choose from, "Have whatever you want, I'll pay for it."

Lucia took the list, "Oh no you're not." She looked between the blonde and the brunette, "I'm treating you girls to dinner so you two have whatever you want and I'll pay for it."

"Mrs. Torres, you don't need to – " Arizona began but was waved off by her girlfriend's mother.

"Arizona, it's the least I could do," the woman answered placing her glasses on the bridge of her nose in order to read what was in front of her.

Five minutes later, the task of deciding what kind of pizza to order was complete and Lucia turned her attention back to Arizona. "So Arizona," Callie groaned, identifying the tone her mother was using, "Calliope told me that you're a captain for the university's racquetball team."

A smile spread across Arizona's face and melted Callie, "Yeah, I am. My best friend and I are the captains actually."

Lucia nodded, "Racquetball, it's not a conventional sport. How did you pick it up?"

"Mama stop," Callie said just a bit too sternly and received a glare from the older Latina.

Arizona placed a hand on Callie's shoulder and answered, "My dad was a Marine so growing up my family moved from place to place and I wasn't always the kind of person who made friends easily so most of the time I would just hang out with my brother, Tim. The base we lived on in France had a court and my godfather taught Tim and me how to play and since then we…I…haven't stopped. It's one of the few sports that you don't necessarily need someone to play with and so I just go and hit when bad things happen, when I'm angry or when I just want some time to myself to think."

"I see. So I'm assuming that your brother doesn't play anymore," Lucia paid no attention to the slight headshake that Callie had been giving her. She had learned from experience that talking about Tim was not always a good idea.

Arizona laughed dryly, "Not unless they have courts in heaven." Lucia's smile fell slightly and Callie subtly laced her fingers through Arizona's in order to provide whatever comfort the blonde needed.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Arizona…" the woman stopped short. What else was there to say?

The blonde forced a small smile and Callie took it upon herself to change the topic before an awkward and tense silence settled over the group, "So on Saturday we'll be practicing all day." She looked from Arizona, whose eyes were trained on the napkin she was playing with, to her mother, "If you want you, Aria and Stephen could come watch us practice."

"I'm sorry mi'ja but I'll have to pass," Lucia smiled and looked almost giddy with excitement. "Your sister booked us a spa treatment for Saturday, we were hoping you could come with us but I guess not." Without losing a beat, Lucia looked at the smaller woman beside her daughter, "We're booked for three, would you like to take Calliope's place, Arizona?"

Blue eyes snapped up from the almost completely torn napkin at dark eyes that resembled Callie's before looking into Callie's, "Uh…" Callie knew the blonde was looking to her for a silent answer but she left this one up to her. If she wanted to go then fine; if she did not then just as well. Arizona turned back to Lucia with a dimpled smile, "I would love to."

Her mother gave a genuine smile from across the table and grabbed Arizona's hands, "Fantastic. We are going to have so much fun!"

Amidst the small talk that had sprung up among the women the pizza arrived. Each woman took a slice and bit into it, savoring the hot melting cheese mixing with their various toppings. Callie sat watching her mother and girlfriend interact; they spoke and laughed as though they had known each other for years.

"Calliope, you've been smiling for the past three minutes. That's a new record for you," Lucia said tearing off another slice of pizza.

"No I haven't," Callie responded shaking herself from her thoughts. "Have I?" she looked at Arizona who nodded. "I'm sorry, I'm just extremely happy."

"And why is that so?" Lucia continued.

Callie gestured with her hands but words failed her. She tried again, "Because you're here and Arizona is here and no one's fighting or slapping anyone else and dragging them to hell and back." Arizona giggled softly but Lucia looked at her daughter as though she had never seen her before.

"Excuse me?" the elder Torres asked.

"It's something that Cristina said," Callie explained. "When I found out you were coming my friends and I were talking about introducing Arizona to the family and we all thought that you wouldn't accept her…and me…but here we are. It's as shocking as it is exhilarating for me."

The elder Latina reached across the table and grabbed Callie's hands, "I know that you must be shocked that by what I did but seeing your father go at you like that brought back memories for me…things that I thought I had forgotten." She gently squeezed her daughter's hands, "You and your sister don't know this but you have another uncle." Callie did not understand where her mother was taking this conversation. "It is a pity that you two couldn't meet him. I was ten and he was seventeen when he told our family his biggest secret…Felipe was gay and he had known for four years but being the only son to your grandfather's empire there was no way he was going to come out. " Callie looked at her mother as though she had grown a second head. The image that Callie had been shown all her life of her maternal family, the Cué family from San Sebastian in Spain, was one of 'perfection'. They were impeccable in every way, thought, speech, dress and of course sexuality…simply put there were no gays. Lucia must have interpreted the look that Callie was sporting, "If you're confused you must understand how my father felt. He told…no ordered…Felipe to leave and he did. I wasn't allowed to say goodbye to my brother or to even see him leave." Her eyes assumed a distant look, "His name was removed from the family tree, my father redid his will and we never spoke of Felipe Santiago y Cué again. Twenty years after he left I found out that he died at the age of thirty-four." Lucia closed her eyes and when she reopened them they were focused on her daughter, "I saw you come out to your father and all I could think was that history was repeating itself. I didn't want to hear twenty years from now that you died Calliope and that's why I stood up to your father. I lost my brother over this and I'd be damned if I lose you too."

Callie looked at her mother who was gently dabbing at her eyes with a napkin; this woman sitting across from her was different from the woman who had raised her. Never in her wildest dreams would she expect Lucia Cué Torres to say the things she just had. For the first time in a really long time she saw her mother in a different light. She no longer saw her as the pretentious socialite that Callie had told Arizona she was but as a woman who had a past and who only wanted the best for her family.

"You're not going to lose me, Mama," Callie whispered.

Arizona placed a gentle hand on the small of Callie's back as the Latina tried to keep her tears at bay. She gave her mother's hand a final squeeze before letting go and leaning into Arizona; the blonde took the opportunity to wrap an arm around her to provide some level of comfort.

After a few minutes of silence in which Callie avoided eye contact with both Arizona and Lucia because for an unknown reason she felt uncomfortable in her girlfriend's arms and across from her mother. Actually the reason was not unknown, she was not used to seeing this vulnerable side of her mother and it made her realize that the woman had been putting on a façade for almost all her life and it was somewhat unsettling for her.

Arizona offered Lucia the last slice of pizza which the older woman gladly accepted before they all left. Callie and Arizona lagged behind Lucia as they walked back to campus. The blonde had her arms wrapped around one of Callie's as they walked past the rows of shops catering to university students.

Arizona broke the silence that they had been strolling in for two minutes, "Well that was…something."

Callie shook her head, "Yeah it was. I did not expect that…at all."

"The look on your face said it all."

Arizona let go of Callie's arm but the Latina held on to her hand as they crossed the street, "That was probably one of our biggest family secrets. God knows how many people in the family know about that." Arizona nodded but remained silent. "And about you accepting the spa thing…"

Arizona smiled sheepishly, "I couldn't say no, Calliope."

"Yes you can. Say it with me," exaggeratedly she said, "No."

Arizona swatted her arm, "Shut up. I think it'll be great."

"You don't have to spend time with my mom, you know," Callie said watching said woman as she walked briskly ahead of them.

"You don't want me to?" Arizona asked.

"Yes I do but –"

"But nothing Cal. So far I've enjoyed spending time with your mom. It's hard to believe that this is the same woman that you told me about," Arizona said softly.

"She isn't," Arizona looked up at her shocked. "I mean that yeah she's my mom but she's not. The Lucia Torres that I grew up with was so much more rigid than the woman you met."

"Well I like this version of your mother," Arizona said as they walked up to a now stationary Lucia.

"Me too."

"That's Christian again," Arizona said looking down at the vibrating phone in her hand. They had been back in Callie's room for five minutes and Christian had been calling incessantly for the past two minutes. She kissed Callie's cheek, "Don't worry, your mother and I will be fine."

Callie was not sure who to be worried about more, her girlfriend or her mother but she relented when her phone started buzzing again, "Okay. I'll call you later Mama," she kissed her mother's cheek. "And I'll see you after practice," she stole another kiss from Arizona.

"My room?" Arizona asked.

"Yup, can you tell Addy and Mark please?" Callie turned around and opened the door. She froze.

Her impeccably dressed father stood outside her door, his hand raised in preparation to knock. He lowered his hand, "Calliope." Another man stepped from somewhere and stood beside her father. His clothing easily gave him away.

Carlos Torres had brought his priest from Miami all the way to Seattle to cleanse his daughter.

**Again I'm sorry that took so long. Thanks for reading, just leave a comment or review. Have a great rest of the day.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I am yet to own this show or the characters…but it's on my list of things to do before a Shonda-like god kills me off too.**

**I totally tried to update faster than last time and I did. School's been a killer and I've got registration for next semester this week…two papers due for Monday (technically today) and a couple tests/exams scheduled. This week is hoing to be so much fun. Not. I'm sorry about the mini-rant, I'm just really really really up to my eyeballs with work.**

**On a more pleasant note I want to dedicate this chapter to TheFrenchLurker, get healed soon mon ami. **

**I hope y'all like Chapter 20 'cause this story is coming to an end really soon. Happy reading.**

It was cold. Yes, March was considered a rather cold month in Seattle but this was beyond normal. Arizona rubbed her hands against the insides of the pockets of her sweatpants. When she and her family had lived in Texas she hated it. It was always hot and humid but right now she would give anything…a leg…to have some heat and humidity. An extremely cold wind ruffled the leaves on the trees around her and she walked faster in order to get back to the warmth of Vernoff. All she wanted to do was sleep, nothing more. Today had been an extremely crappy day and she only wanted to close her eyes and end the day. The day started with her oversleeping her first class by half-an-hour, unfortunately it was the one course that she did not have friends in so there was no one to cover for her or to call her. She got to class ten minutes later than she had hoped to because the stupid wheel on her bicycle had gone flat and so she had to run across campus like a maniac. In her next class her lab had gone horribly wrong and Burke used her and her partner's work as an example of what not to do. It was embarrassing. The only expected bright spot to her day was that she would be able to spend lunch with Calliope, but that did not happen because Callie had to go to office hours with a professor. By one in the afternoon she was frustrated and then it only got worse when the sky opened up and poured rain over the campus. Arizona hated the rain. It was just awful and made her feel irritable and yucky. So she locked herself in her room, with her books and studied, only to be disturbed by an email from her coach. The racquetball team had a practice match the upcoming Friday, which meant practice for her. When four o'clock rolled around, the blonde lazily emerged from her cocoon and trudged through the mud and drizzle to the gymnasium. For the next two and a half hours the team was pushed with drill after drill until Swender thought they were good enough for today's practice. Arizona had stayed an extra hour just to hit the ball and practice two techniques that had been troublesome for her the previous season. It was either that or head back to her room that had her books and a way too perky Teddy Altman.

The wind picked up again and Arizona cursed under her breath. The bag on her shoulder was slipping but she did not want to get her hand cold for the brief second it would be out of her pocket.

"Ms. Robbins," she almost did not hear the person call her name. She stopped and turned around to see the last person she would expect to find standing outside in the cold.

"Um, Mr. Torres?" she asked, not really sure that Carlos Torres was actually standing in front of her. He and Callie had another huge fight when he had visited her room and he had threatened to cut her off. A threat that the young Latina found out he had gone through with a few days later. "Uh, Callie's at practice. I can tell her you're here, if you want."

He took a step towards her and out of reflex, or maybe fear, she took a step back. "I'm not here to speak with Calliope. I want to have a chat with you, Ms. Robbins."

"Oh…uh…um…okay," she was shocked…and cold.

"Is there anywhere that we can go to talk in private? I am not a big fan of this type of weather," Carlos said, trying to force a smile.

Arizona looked around and using her mental map realized that the closest place to where they were was the on-campus coffee shop and she led the older man there in silence.

When Carlos had a steaming cup of coffee between his hands he began speaking, "My wife has told me that I did the wrong thing by clearing out Calliope's accounts and by taking away her trust fund."

"Yeah, she wasn't too pleased but you know Callio – " she was cut of by a raised hand from Carlos.

"I am not here to discuss my daughter with you, Ms. Robbins." Arizona's mouth closed slowly. "I have one thing to request…demand…of you. I think it is simple enough and if you love my daughter as she claims to love you then you will see that it is in your and her best interest to do as I say." He took a sip from his mug before he continued, "I will give you one day, and one day only, to do this." Arizona looked into his dark brown eyes and she knew what was coming. She hoped she was wrong but Carlos opened his mouth once more and her heart stopped.

"You want me to do what?" she was hoping this was all a dream. The short, balding man in front of her did not just say what she thought he did.

"I'm sure you heard me clearly, Ms. Robbins," he took another nonchalant sip of coffee from his pristine white mug.

"I'm not sure I did. You want me to break up with Calliope…so she can get back her money?" the man nodded his head. "Unbelievable."

"I do not see what's so unbelievable about that?" He leaned forward, "Calliope is used to a certain standard of living…she likes to be comfortable and I'm sure that right now she isn't feeling that way. So…I'm offering you the chance to make her comfortable again. It's as simple as that," he leaned back and looked at her with an expectant and smug smile. Bargaining and getting people to do as he wishes were his type of games and he exuded confidence as he sat and watched the woman across from him.

Blue eyes dropped the hold of brown. Carlos was right, Callie had been miserable. She had refused to go out with the group on Saturday night when they went to the movies and dinner and had just been generally sulky and pissed at everyone and everything. When Callie got into her mood Arizona always thought that she would do anything…give anything…to make her feel better. And here it was, the solution, literally sitting right in front of her.

Calliope was a Torres. She was born and bred into it…into wealth and opulence…and not having access to thousands, or even millions, of dollars was pretty frustrating to her and once Callie was frustrated so was Arizona.

The blonde looked down at the dark liquid in the cup before her, she knew what she had to do. "What do I tell her?"

She tentatively looked into brown eyes; Carlos shrugged, "Whatever you have to."

"And if I decide not to end my relationship with Calliope?" Arizona asked.

The older man leaned in once more, "Then you'll just have to suffer the consequences." A chill ran through Arizona's body at the word 'consequences'. She was sure this short, balding man could do things to her and make them look like accidents. She nodded and he stood to leave, placing ten dollars on the table in the process.

Arizona stood with him, "Mr. Torres, can I just say one thing?" He looked over his shoulder at her. "I love your daughter with everything I have. The only persons I've loved more are a few members of my family, my brother particularly, and I want you to know that I will never, ever do anything to hurt her intentionally."

He turned to face her fully, "Then you will do as I say. You have one day. Have a good night, Ms. Robbins." With that Carlos Torres left the warmth of the coffee shop for the cold Seattle night air.

Arizona sat in her seat and looked at the lukewarm coffee in her mug for a whole minute before downing the bitter liquid.

"No! You're lying," Teddy exclaimed from her bed.

"We both wish I was," Arizona responded from under the pillow that she used to cover her face after she told Teddy about her encounter with Carlos Torres.

Teddy's voice came over softly, "Are you going to do it?"

Arizona roughly pulled the pillow from her face with one hand and ran the other through her hair, "I don't know yet. He was totally right about her being used to having money and everyone can see that it's affecting her in a huge way."

"Yeah, but are you going to let her money get in the way of what you two have? What you fought for?" the other blonde said, peering at her best friend with intense grey eyes.

"I don't know, Teddy. I just don't know," she turned over and buried her face in her pillow.

Teddy did not speak for a few seconds and when she did the closeness and intensity of her voice startled Arizona, "There is no way in hell that I'm going to let you throw away the best thing that's happened to you in years because of something a crazy old man said."

"I thought you were the best thing that's happened to me," Teddy simply stared at her. She was not in the mood for jokes. Arizona sighed, "That crazy old man is her father and he holds all her money and her happiness."

Teddy shook her head, "You know, I never thought that her money would come between you two in this way. I always that it would be you not being able to handle being with someone who can afford use hundred dollar bills to wipe their sweat and ass."

Arizona rolled her eyes, "Well thank you for that."

"Seriously though, I've seen you put a lot into this relationship, starting from when she found out who you were and refused to date you up to almost walking in on you two…hooking up…last week." Arizona blushed. "I just can't have you being an idiot and screwing this up."

"It's my decision Teddy!" Arizona was getting upset. She knew she had no reason to be angry because the other blonde only had her best interests at heart. She took a breath and calmed down, "I have the power to get her back in good graces with her father, the man she loves the most in this world, and I think I should take it. She can love again, start another relationship, but she can't have another father." Tears pooled in her eyes, obscuring her vision of her friend sitting above her, "I love her too much to get between her and her father and I love her enough to let her go so she can be happy."

Teddy sighed and wiped away a tear that was rolling down her roommate's cheek, "Are you going to do it tonight?" Arizona nodded. "Go easy on her." Arizona turned her head away as her tears began flowing more quickly.

Arizona knocked on Callie's door twice and waited. Usually she would just go in after the first knock but this time she wanted as much time as possible to compose herself…to delay the inevitable. Callie's voice shouted a 'Come in' and the blonde did. She knew what she was going to say, she knew how she was going to say it, she just did not know if she could bring herself to say it. She walked in and saw Callie at her desk, books opened all around her and papers strewn on both the small wooden desk and the floor beside her.

Callie smiled at her and Arizona tried to return the smile but she fell short. "Hey baby." Arizona leaned over and kissed her lips, "Sorry about today, I totally forgot that I had a meeting with Webber when we planned on lunch."

Arizona waved her hand dismissively, "It's fine. You look happy today." She really did. The smile that she had received from the other woman was one of the few genuine smiles that had graced the Latina's face in the days that had passed. It broke Arizona's heart to know that she would be the cause of that smile disappearing again.

Callie nodded, "Yeah I had a good day and it only got better when you walked through the door." In her head Arizona screamed, 'No it didn't.' at Callie's words and her conscience told her that there was no way she could go through with this and ruin Callie's day with what she had to say. She ignored her conscience; this was something she had to do. "How was your day? You look tired."

The blonde moved Callie's laptop from her bed and sat down, "I had a long and awful day."

Callie was out of her seat and beside Arizona seconds later, her hands cradling a fair face, "Oh baby. I'm sorry." Callie kissed her lips teasingly, "I'm sure I can think of something that will make your day better." The Latina's plump lips were on hers again and Arizona responded in the same way she normally would. It was something that she could not control. One of the blonde's hands found its way into raven locks and the other to Callie's waist. Someone moaned and the intensity of the kiss went up a few notches. Arizona was now on her back and Callie was straddling her hips. Callie broke the kiss and smiled down at her girlfriend, "How's your day looking now?"

Arizona forced a laugh, "It getting better but there's something that I need to talk to you about first."

Callie reattached her lips to Arizona, only letting up enough to mumble, "Sex now…talk later."

Arizona tore her lips away from Callie's and turned her head to the side. The Latina took it as an invitation to place her lips on the spot behind Arizona's ear that made her knees go weak. "Cal…Calliope…stop. We…need to…t – talk." She managed to pull Callie's head away from her and looked into lust-filled dark brown eyes, "We need to talk."

The tone of her voice must have chased the lust from Callie's eyes and body because she rolled off of the blonde and sat beside her. "What's this about, Arizona?" Arizona sat up and took a deep breath. This was it. She definitely was not doing this for herself or for Carlos Torres but for Callie and Callie alone. Unexpected tears escape from blue eyes and Arizona squeezes her eyelids shut. Callie's arms wrap around her, "Baby, what's wrong? Talk to me," but the blonde only shook her head and pulled out of Callie's grasp.

She wiped her tears, takes another breath and opened her eyes to see her girlfriend looking at her worriedly and her heart broke all over again. Another breath to steel herself before looking into brown eyes that were trying to search her soul, "I'm ending our relationship." It was as though time slowed down, stopped even, and Arizona watched as Callie's face morphed from shock to disbelief and back to shock before tears pooled in her eyes.

And Arizona's heart shattered once more.

**I must say, I kinda liked this chapter. If you did or you didn't just drop me a review or comment to tell me how much you hate me or don't hate me…I'll still love you no matter what and it'll totally make my bound to be crappy week so much better. Thanks for reading and reviewing and have a nice day y'all.**

**Oh, for those of you who want to follow me on Twitter it's _AriFan07 and I've never promoted it before but my tumblr is .com or just .com (that one's more personal).**

**Again, thanks and have a great rest of the day.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I am yet to own this show or the characters…but it's on my list of things to do before a Shonda-like god kills me off too.**

**Sorry for the long wait guys. There have been a lot of stuff going on in my life that has prevented me from writing and I apologize wholeheartedly for it. **

**Like I said last chapter this story is ending soon and this is actually the penultimate chapter. Thanks to everyone who stuck by this story over the months, this one's dedicated to all of you!**

**Happy reading.**

Sadness hurt. It hurt a lot and no one knew that more than Callie Torres. Her world was falling apart. She has a competition in two days and a sore throat. Her parents were in town but her father was trying to control her life. She had a pretty great relationship but now her girlfriend wanted to end it. And, she had a lab to complete but her partner was yet to show.

It was three fifteen and her lab partner was a quarter of an hour late. Everyone around her was busy mixing chemicals and solutions while she was sitting with her hands under her chin watching them. The seat beside her was suddenly occupied and she turned her head to see her friend sitting beside her.

The Asian woman pointed to a beaker that was sitting in front of Callie, "I need that."

Callie looked down at the object, "Why don't you go get your own from the cupboard?"

"Because you're right in front of me and you're not using yours," Callie rolled her eyes and handed the glass container to her. "So where is your partner anyways?"

"I don't know but she better get her ass here soon," Callie said looking at the door.

"And your other partner?" Cristina asked actual concern seeping into her voice.

Callie sighed, "Again, I don't know. I haven't seen nor spoken to her since last night but she did send Teddy to lunch with an apology today."

"So what are you going to do?" Cristina asked handing the beaker to her lab partner who had come up beside them. "Are you going to end it?"

"No! I don't want to…especially because it's what my father wants. I'm going to get her to talk to me and if it's what she wants then fine but if she's only doing my father's bidding then hell is going to freeze over before I let her break up with me."

Cristina nodded and stood up, "You've changed…grown actually." Callie looked up at her. "I remember a time when you'd just take it. Just let her…or him…break up with you and then you'd drown your sorrows in ice cream and go through five boxes of Kleenex in a day. I've known you for a while now and I've never seen you fight for a relationship as much as you're fighting for this one. Good for you, Torres." She left with a smile…well as much of a smile as you could get out of Cristina Yang.

Callie sat alone for the next five minutes before her lab partner occupied the stool, "Sorry Torres, I fell asleep in the library."

"Yeah, can we just get this done? I have somewhere I need to be in an hour and a half."

Bailey was walking away, ranting to herself and waving her papers about, scaring choristers as she continued her rampage around the theater hall. She was not happy that one half of her golden ticket was suffering from a sore throat. The professor and choir director had listed off a bunch of home remedies and a few names of prescription and over the counter medication for her to try before telling Callie to sit and observe the performances like an audience member.

The choir had already gone through two of their performances and although they were stellar, Callie was getting bored and frustrated by being unable to be on stage with the other singers. She took out her phone and was in the middle of replying to a Facebook message from her cousin when her phone signaled an incoming text message…from Arizona.

_I know you're at practice and you won't be able to respond without Bailey blowing a fuse and I guess that makes me a coward for texting you now but I wanted to let you know that I'm sorry for not talking to you or showing up all day. Remember when I told you that I run when things get complicated? I guess that's what I was doing today by avoiding you. Can we talk…whenever you're free?_

The message actually surprised Callie because Arizona was never the type to admit she's wrong, let others be in control or say I'm sorry easily. She knew that one of their friends had to do some prodding and her best guess was Teddy. Arizona was more willing to listen to her than anyone else, barring Christian of course.

_You sent Teddy with an excuse…you were busy. We can talk after you finish racquetball practice, how's that?_

It was anything but easy for her to send those two sentences. The fragile and hurt human side of her was telling her to ignore the blonde as she had done all day but the rational side was saying to leave out the cynicism and be civil about the whole issue.

_Yeah that sounds fine. I thought you were at practice. Is everything okay? Are you okay?_

_Callie, I know that was no excuse. I just couldn't face you so soon after hurting you so badly. I needed some time to think and I made a decision as to what I want for myself…and for us, but I'm leaving this one up to you…it's all dependent on what you want._

Callie's gut clenched as she read Arizona's words. She had made a decision and Callie herself had no idea whether it was bad or good. But, in the end it would not matter as Arizona had left the deciding vote down to her. She knew what she wanted but it was unfair for Arizona to forgo her own decision, whether negative or positive, for what Callie wanted. Unfair and selfless.

_I have a sore throat and Bailey ordered me to sit out practice today._

_Arizona, you can't do that. WE are in this relationship together. It's not just you and it's not just me. One of us can't decide whether we stay together or not, this is something we both need to agree on. I'm not going to be the one to keep you bound in a relationship that you want no part in (if that is your decision) just because I'm being selfish. This needs to be mutual._

It would be hard on her if Arizona's decision were to end the relationship…but at least it would be fair.

_I hope you'll feel better soon. Will you be able to sing on Friday? Maybe you caught something?_

_You're right and I knew you'd say that so…your room or mine?_

She laughed silently at the irony of her choosing the place where the best relationship she has had in a really long time would end…or continue. It was hard reminding herself of that last part. She was becoming almost as pessimistic as Cristina, Meredith or Alex. She shuddered at the thought.

_Thanks and Bailey gave me a whole list of things I should try so that hopefully by Friday I'll be up and singing._

_How about we go for a walk tonight? With researches, exams, practices and attempted breakups, we haven't had much contact with nature and maybe the fresh air will help us both think clearly._

She was trying her best to be reasonable and to put them in a space where neither would feel in control while the other felt submissive. They were equals. She wanted to show her father that despite what he thought of Arizona and their lifestyles, there was no way she would fall into a relationship as controlling as the one she had with him.

_Yeah, that's a good idea. How about we meet at Big Ben and walk along the bike trail? The fireflies should be out in abundance tonight :)_

Callie smiled to herself. Even in the midst of their possible breakup Arizona was still thoughtful. Callie had told her months ago, after their first date, that one of the things she missed the most about Florida was the fireflies lighting up every night in her backyard and how she and Aria would run around chasing them, even into their twenties, and how her parents would sometimes join in.

_That would be nice. I'll see you there at 8:30, then._

The sadness she was feeling this morning would be a pinprick compared to what she would feel tonight if that walk turned out to be her last with Arizona.

_Perfect. See you tonight._

"¿Y si ella realmente romper conmigo? ¿Y si ella se dio cuenta de que en realidad ella no quiere esto? My father was only the instigator...como un catalizador...y ahora ella realmente quiere romper conmigo." Callie was pacing her the small space between her desk and her door, her best friend's eyes tracking her every movement as she nodded her head. (What if she really does break up with me? What if she realized that she really doesn't want this? ...like a catalyst...and now she really wants to break up with me.)

Addison knew that Callie really was not speaking to her but she hummed the appropriate responses in the correct place when the Latina was speaking English and guessed by her facial expression when she was firing off Spanish, "Ah yes, I see. Oh no, how dare him!"

The door opened and Addison breathed a sigh of relief to see Mark walk in. She quickly brought him up to speed with what was happening with their friend and left for a meeting with her academic advisor.

The man quickly took control of the situation, "Torres!" She did not slow her speech and she did not stop pacing so he intercepted her and grabbed her by the shoulders, "Torres!"

Her eyes began to focus on him and she looked around the room, "Where did Addison go?"

"She had a meeting with her advisor. Are you ready to calm down and talk to me about this?" she nodded and he let her go.

Callie sat on her bed with her legs folded under her and Mark sat across from her, slouched over so his elbows rested on his knees. "She agreed to talk to me tonight after she gets back from practice."

"That's good. You two can sit down and work this out like rational adults…or you can forget about it and rip each others clothes off," Callie knew he was only trying to lighten the mood in the only nonsexual way he knew how but she was not appreciating it at the moment.

"Mark…" he gave an 'I'm sorry smile' before getting up to sit beside her.

He wrapped his arm around her the way he had for years and she leaned into him, "Can I tell you a secret?" Callie nodded. "I told Lexie that I love her."

"Really?" Callie asked tilting her head to look up at him.

He nodded, "Yes really. But you know what gave me the courage to tell her?" He pulled her up and looked into her eyes as she shook her head, "You and Robbins. Being with women wasn't entirely new to you but you went up for the challenge anyways. Robbins put up a fight in the beginning but you fought back and you won your girl. Hahn tried to weasel her way back into your life but you left the old you behind. You knew all hell would break loose when you told your family but you were courageous enough to go ahead anyways. I admire you, Cal. I admire your relationship with Arizona and I don't want to see it end. You love her, I can see it and I can also see that she loves you just as much. Two people who love each other as much as you two do shouldn't be apart. Screw what your dad says, you can live off my and Addison's trust funds, we just want to see you happy and, perky or not, Robbins makes you happy."

"What does Lexie have you reading and watching?" Callie asked smiling into her best friend's chest.

"The side of food containers and my carb intake," Mark joked and got a genuine laugh out of the Latina. "Seriously though Cal, just tell Robbins what's in your heart and ask her to do the same."

"I thought that you'd wait until you're gray and wrinkly to be this sagacious," Callie said wrapping her arms around his torso.

"Gray and wrinkly? These rugged good looks will never fade and I bet I will look distinguished with some gray in this full head of hair," Mark responded.

"There's the cocky and self-righteous guy I know," Callie squeezed him. "Thanks Mark, for everything. You're one of the best guys I know and Lexie's lucky to have you."

"I'm the lucky one, Cal. Have you seen that girl? She's got everything, she's intelligent, funny, totally hot with just enough geeky and she's into me." Mark looked down at her and whispered, "And the sex is to die for. The other night she did this thing where she –"

She pushed him away and covered her ears, "Ew, I do not need to know what you're doing with Little Grey." Mark laughed and pulled her back into an embrace before kissing her on the head, "You don't see me telling you about my sexcapades with Arizona."

"I wish you would. That would be hot," Mark said staring off into space.

Callie slapped his arm to bring him back to reality, "We are ending this conversation. Now."

"I'm just saying, two extremely hot and sexy girls getting it on is any man's dream come true," Mark said.

"No just yours." Callie got up and got her backpack. "How far are you and Arizona on your research?"

Mark fell on his back, "We completed everything, and so we just have to write up our findings. Blondie is like a taskmaster…a very efficient taskmaster but a taskmaster nonetheless. Everything has a schedule and has to be on schedule. I swear…"

"Well her father is a retired Marine so she's been around order and timeliness her whole life. I, on the other hand, am still waiting for a vital piece of data that my partner claims she had but has yet to get to me so I can't start writing my findings. It's times like this that I wish Burke had given us independent researches to conduct," she said skimming through the numbers and scribbles written almost illegibly on the papers in her hands.

Callie's head was clear as she walked to the tree. It was the first time all day that she wasn't thinking about what was to come, her exams, her research, the competition or her father. It was just her, the clean air around her, the rustling of leaves on the trees as she walked under and beside them, the occasional chirping of cricket and the calm of the campus at night that enveloped her. It was peaceful and made her smile. Growing up in a city like Miami afforded her some luxuries such as top of the line stores and restaurants but it rarely offered her a luxury like this. It was just her and nature, no cars in the distance, no dogs barking and no planes flying overhead. It was nice. Callie sat under the tree and listened to the crickets.

"It's a beautiful night," Arizona said approaching the tree from behind Callie and sitting beside the Latina.

"Yeah it is." She looked over at the blonde, "How are you?"

Arizona leaned her head back unto the smooth bark of the tree, "Tired. Practice was rough and Swender gave us some news about that game that we tried to set up last week…oh and I got this," she held up her left wrist for Callie to see.

"What happened?" Callie reached out for Arizona's wrapped wrist.

"I was doing some practice shots with one of our rookies after practice and went for a return that I shouldn't have and landed on a twisted my wrist," Arizona watched as Callie's eyes and hands moved over her wrist. "It'll be fine though. Swender wrapped it as soon as it happened."

"Did you go to the trainer's to have him check it out?" Callie asked still running her hands over Arizona's wrist and flexing it. "Does that hurt?"

Arizona nodded, "Yes he did and it hurts just a bit. Especially when you do that!" She pulled her hand back and held it close to her chest.

Callie looked up and into Arizona's eyes, "I'm sorry."

"I-It's fine," Arizona answered avoiding looking at Callie. "Uh, how's your throat?"

"Well I tried some of Bailey's home remedies and I'm feeling better than I was earlier so that's good…I guess," Callie said rubbing her throat through the scarf she was wearing to keep it warm.

"That's good. Hopefully by Friday it'll be all better," Callie nodded. "So are we going to go on that walk?" Arizona got up and used her right hand to pull Callie up form the ground.

They walked from the tree to the bike path without a word. Both thinking about what they wanted to say to the other and how afraid they were of what the other would say. The sounds that Callie had heard on her way to Big Ben had faded and became white noise as she walked alongside Arizona.

They had walked some distance along the path when Arizona turned to Callie, "Calliope," the Latina looked at her, "I want to know what you're thinking."

Callie looked away and wracked her brain to find the best way to put all the things that were running through her mind, "I, uh…I guess…." Callie sighed and decided to just say it the simple way, "I don't want to break up." She looked up when they continued walking but Arizona said nothing. She was processing. Callie grabbed her arm and stopped walking; she turned the blonde to face her, "Look Arizona, I don't know what you're thinking or what you want for us but I know what I want and it doesn't include losing you."

Arizona pulled her hand back and started walking again, "Callie, I had to look into your father's eyes and see how much it hurt him to think that he lost you…to me." Arizona turned around to face her, she was now standing five feet away from Callie, "I had to watch you go from mood swing to mood swing because your father cut you off financially and refused to speak with you or take your calls. I watched you sit out stuff that you love doing and I sat with you even when you told me to go because that's what a girlfriend does and I'd do it again. What I don't want to do again though is see you hurting. I know it hurt you a lot that your father just walked out on you like that but he gave me a way to make you happy again and because that's all I ever wanted I decided to take it. I only want you to be happy, Calliope."

Callie took a step towards her, "Then forget about my father. Can't you see that I'm happy just being with you? I fought for us before there even was an us. I want you to fight for us." Arizona dropped her head. Callie watched her for a minute. "If you're not going to fight then give me a reason…a reason that has nothing to do with my father or what he thinks. Give me a reason to let us go, Arizona!"

The blonde shook her head and wrapped her arms around her waist, "I can't." It was almost whispered but Callie heard it clearly.

"You can't what, Arizona?" She took another step forward, her brows scrunched.

"I can't do this…do us…because I love you too much," her words faded and she turned around still holding herself.

"Bull, Arizona!" Callie turned the blonde to face her again. "Don't tell me that you love me too much when you're standing here trying to break up with me! At least respect me enough to give me a good reason."

"What do you want me to say, Calliope?" Arizona was getting angry; the darkness around them could not cover that. She closed her eyes and her shoulders deflated, "I don't have a good reason to give you because I – I don't want to break up with you."

Callie dipped her head to look into Arizona's eyes, "What?"

The blonde lifted her head, tears had pooled in her eyes, "Your father wants me to break up with you but I don't. I know I don't say it enough but I want you to know that when I do say it I mean it with all my heart. I love you." Arizona took a step forward and cupped Callie's cheek with her uninjured hand before kissing her softly. She ended the kiss and took a step back before dragging her hand over her face, "I'm conflicted. I want you to get back on speaking terms with your father but I don't want to lose you. You're going to have to make a choice, Calliope, just know that I'll stand by you, whatever decision you make. I can be your girlfriend…or I can just be a friend."

"I can't have the best of both worlds, can I?" Arizona shook her head slightly. "There's so much I don't want to let go of. I don't want to give up holding you, and kissing you and those nights when it's just the two of us," she knew the blonde was blushing and she was hoping that would give her some sway.

"Just for the sake of playing devil's advocate, if you choose me then you're giving up much more than that in your relationship with your father. I know how much you love him and how much he means to you. Don't put me above him."

"He put his pride and reputation above me, Arizona," she knew she had no reason to be getting upset; Arizona was simply giving a rational point.

"Cut him some slack, you changed the game on him," Callie's raised an eyebrow in her signature 'Excuse me?' expression. "For twenty plus years you played for one team consistently, as far as he knew you were straight but you introduced him to your _girlfriend_ and it caught him off guard. I know what you're thinking and I'm not defending him or justifying his actions, I'm just saying that you need to give him time to get over the shock – "

"He's had more than a week, Arizona. Time's up," it hurt her to say those words but her father had received more than enough time to get over the fact that his daughter was now very much dating women and in love with one.

"Give him more time and show him that you're no different than who you were when you left for college or when you got here or when he last saw you. Call him and have lunch with him tomorrow, try staying away from the topic until you're sure it's okay to bring it up and just let him see the Calliope he raised and the Calliope I fell in love with," Arizona stepped forward and kissed Callie again.

"And if your master plan doesn't work?" Callie asked wrapping her arms around Arizona's waist.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," she stood on the balls of her feet and kissed the lips above her.

The walk back was less tense than the walk going. The crickets and the leaves could be heard again; the stars were out and shining their brightest and Arizona's hand was firmly placed in her own, their fingers intertwining.

"You know how I said that Swender got us the game against Fortview?" Arizona said stepping closer to Callie and changing their hand holding to a one-armed embrace.

"Yeah. Are you really not playing but you're just telling me that you are so you can be badass?" Callie joked running her palm on Arizona's arm.

"No, but for the record I'm totally badass, I am playing and it's an away game in Oregon…on Friday."

Callie turned her head sharply, "This Friday? As in the day of Bellum Voces?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry baby, it was completely last minute and Swender doesn't want us playing during finals week so we can't shift it." Callie was disappointed. She was looking forward to seeing Arizona there whether they were together or not. "I promise you that I'll be there to see you perform though. I'll drive to Oregon so I don't have to wait for the bus to get back. Where will they be holding the competition?"

Callie knew it was a longshot that Arizona would get back on time, "It's that big building on the corner of Second Avenue and Virginia Street, The Moore Theater."

"Second and Virginia. I promise, you'll see me…or hear me. I'll be the one cheering the loudest, especially for my girl," that got a chuckle out of Callie and a quick kiss for Arizona.

With her relationship with Arizona on the mends there was just one thing she had to do now to get this whole fiasco behind her and it was to talk to her father. It was not something that she was eager to do because she knew how set he was in his ways but she needed him to listen to her and understand that she was still his little girl and that being gay and Arizona were major parts of her life now.

It would not be easy but when was anything worth fighting for ever easy?

**Again I'm sorry for making you guys wait so long for this. I'll try to do better with the final chapter.**

**With that said, for anyone who reads El Regreso: I don't think that I'll be continuing that story but if I do it won't be on . If I decide to finish it, I'll keep you updated on where to find it.**

**Thanks for reading and have a good day.**


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